When I Go Outside

From the rubble of war-torn Qamishli to the galleries of Montreal, Syrian-Kurdish artist Bîstyek's remarkable journey unfolds in this powerful documentary.

Without formal training, he creates masterful works where saturated colors collide with Kurdish textile motifs—childhood trauma and hope rendered in raw, unfiltered harmony. Frequently compared to Basquiat yet entirely his own, Bîstyek's work defies simplification, offering an unflinching testament to human resilience.

More than a refugee story, this film transcends biography to become a profound meditation on identity and the enduring power of art. Through intimate footage of his process (watch as cobalt blues swallow bombed neighborhoods and crimson streaks become displaced families), we witness creativity becoming a universal language. In Bîstyek's hands, survival transforms into something deeply seen, felt, and ultimately transcendent.