A Man Before His Time

Chronicles the life of the revered Freydun "the Assyrian", unearthing the remarkable story of a man whose love for his nation was so strong, he would die for it. In addition to leading a successful military and political career, Atouraya was a respected physician, writer, and thinker. More than anything, he was a revolutionary. His passion for the Assyrian nation was evident in all of his works, and ultimately led to his wrongful arrest, imprisonment, and execution. He died with the unrealized dream of a free Assyria. Director Henri Charr captures the essence of Atouraya's true character in this riveting account of the life of one man fighting for the future of his people. The film documents the Assyrian struggle for autonomy as they faced annihilation at the hands of the Ottoman Turks and their Kurdish allies during the Assyrian Genocide of 1915. The docudrama is based on archives from the Soviet Secret Police, who were responsible for Atouraya's imprisonment and death.