Angels of Sinjar: Hanna Polak on documenting the horror of Isis

Hanna Polak's extraordinary film Angels of Sinjar details one woman's fight to find her five sisters, who were abducted and sold into sexual slavery by Isis.
 
Of all the barbaric acts committed by Isis, the genocide of the Yezidi people stunned the world. In August 2014 Isis carried out an attack in the Sinjar area of northern Iraq, home to the Yezidis. Men and boys who refused to convert to Islam were killed and dumped in mass graves. Thousands of women and girls were forced to become sexual slaves and many remain captive. Polish director, cinematographer and producer Hanna Polak's new documentary follows one woman's fight to be reunited with her five sisters, who were abducted, raped and sold into slavery. It's not Hanna's first foray into telling the stories of those fighting on the fringes - her documentary The Children of Leningradsky about Moscow's streetkids - was nominated for an Oscar and two Emmys. Angels of Sinjar is screening now as part of the DocEdge festival.