top of page
Back to the Land

Back

Documentaries from Türkiye

Back to the Land

Toprağa Dönüş

00:14:42

Kerem Kurtuluş

-

Turkey

Tevfik, who moved to New York with his family at the age of 2, relocated to his grandfather's home in Rize, where his father was born, at the age of 35 and started a new life there.

Tevfik has been living in Rize for 19 years and is now the father of two children, working in agriculture. He sustains his life by producing tea and kiwi.

Thursday, January 22, 2026

13:30

Fransız Kültür Merkezi

Mukunan Aprendiz de Pajé

International Short Film Competition

Mukunan Aprendiz de Pajé

Rodrigo Sena Sena Sena

Mukunã prepares to become the Shaman of the Potiguara Katu village in Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil), older than us, the power plants become the teacher teaching environmental care.
ALTAY

Student Documentaries from Türkiye

ALTAY

Pelin Girgin

The Altai Mountains, one of the ancient heritages of human history, are not only home to towering peaks and vast steppes, but also the birthplace of a culture, an identity, and a belief system. “Altai” is the documentary that tells the story of the Kazakh Turks, who carry the traces of the past forward and pass them on to future generations.
Muapbet

Student Documentaries from Türkiye

Muapbet

Senad K. Sipahioğlu, Yiğit Şafak

Wind Blows By

International Short Film Competition

Wind Blows By

Paula Fuentes, Guillermo Carrera

Among the Galician mountains hides Vilar do Courel, a small village that has been resisting to disappear for decades. Its last three inhabitants are the guardians of a timeless space, which transits its past and looks to its future from an empty, immobile and fragile present. With Branca's return from Barcelona, the reality of the place begins to transform. At night, memories, dreams and ancient legends guide the characters through magical forests and forgotten paths.
The Last Nest

Documentaries from Türkiye - Out-of-Competition Selection

The Last Nest

Hasan Hüseyin Alkan

"Son Yuva" (The Last Nest) tells the story of Ahmet Karakaya, a shepherd in Anatolia facing the harsh impact of the climate crisis. Torn between leaving his homeland or staying to fight for it, Ahmet must make a difficult choice. His struggle reflects the profound and universal disruptions caused by climate change, as well as the resilience required to face an uncertain future.
Baghdad Graphic

International Short Film Competition

Baghdad Graphic

D.K. Odessa

Based on fragments from a never finished graphic novel, Baghdad Graphic presents an unflinching account of an Iraqi journalist and his desperate effort to survive the invasion of his country. An intensely personal portrait of the costs of war.
Trains

International Short Film Competition

Trains

Maciej Drygas

TRAINS is a found-footage documentary composed entirely of archive footage and sound design that creates a collective portrait of people in 20th century Europe, capturing their hopes, desires, dramas and tragedies. A train compartment is a place where people are taken out of their everyday context for a while. Sometimes the journey is accompanied by the hope that something will change in our lives upon reaching the destination, or conversely, by a stark absence of hope. And yet the history of the 20th century unfolds in railway carriages in a repetitive refrain. Every few years, hauntingly similar scenes play out in railway stations around the world: carriages full of men leaving for war, only to return wounded or as casualties. This cycle is followed by an exodus of civilians, evacuees mingling with prisoners of war returning from camps, and soldiers of victorious armies leading the defeated, until ordinary passengers reappear at stations.
Sukande Kasáká | Ailing Land

Best International Short Film

Sukande Kasáká | Ailing Land

Kamikia Kisedje, Fred Rahal

Kamikia and Lewaiki, from the Khĩsêdjê people, are forced to abandon their largest village after detecting pesticide contamination that poisons their land, rivers, and food. Surrounded by monocultures of soy, they fight to protect their culture, their families, and their territory, facing an invisible enemy that threatens their very existence.
Mother of Snow Cranes

En İyi Uluslararası Uzun Metraj Belgesel Film

Mother of Snow Cranes

Iiris Härmä

Over 90 years old, Ellen Vuosalo has lived many lives. First as a Finnish immigrant in Canada, then as an American citizen and student of zoology at UCLA and finally as a Mother of Cranes in Iran. Iiris Härmä's Mother of Snow Cranes tells the story of an incredible woman's extraordinary life, from love to tragedy to revolution. It is a story about nature, humanity, and the role of women in both the West and Iranian culture. Or as Ellen herself says " What a life! What a world!" Reference story: Unlike the world famous story of Betty Mahmoody (NOT WITHOUT MY DAUGHTER, 1991), MOTHER OF SNOW CRANES tells the story of the Western woman who had to stay in Iran and later who decided to stay. Our production company Guerilla Films has produced award-winning documentary films for international broadcasters (YLE, SVT, NHK, ARTE, NETFLIX etc.), cinemas and film festivals for more than 20 years. Mother of Snow Cranes (orig. Kurkien äiti) Duration: 78 mins Director: Iiris Härmä Producer: Visa Koiso-Kanttila/ Guerilla Films Production Country Finland Filming location Iran Release Date: Cinematic release in Finland September 2024.
Yazbek: A Portrait

International Short Film Competition

Yazbek: A Portrait

Frederick Shelbourne, Lucy Andia

Yazbek: A Portrait recounts a Sergio's life, leading up to the moment he uncovers a box of his late father’s lost negatives. As he develops the photographs, Sergio reconnects with his father in ways he never expected, discovering new facets about the man and his legacy. Sergio reflects on how his father taught him not only the secrets of photography but also of life itself, shaping his understanding of the world through the lens. This film explores themes of memory, family, and the profound connection between art and life. ... 'Yazbek: A Portrait' narra la vida de Sergio, hasta el momento en que descubre una caja con los negativos perdidos de su difunto padre. Mientras revela las fotografías, Sergio se reconecta con su padre de maneras que nunca imaginó, descubriendo nuevas facetas sobre el hombre y su legado. Sergio reflexiona sobre cómo su padre le enseñó no solo los secretos de la fotografía, sino también de la vida misma, moldeando su comprensión del mundo a través del lente. Esta película explora temas como la memoria, la familia y la profunda conexión entre el arte y la vida.
CAHİDE SONKU "Türkiye's First Female Producer and Director"

Student Documentaries from Türkiye

CAHİDE SONKU "Türkiye's First Female Producer and Director"

Nurullah Güzel

Our film aims to introduce the life of Cahide Sonku to students of the Radio, Television, and Cinema department. In this context, it focuses on examining the historical development of Turkish cinema to better understand Cahide Sonku and to inspire future generations through her story. Cahide Sonku’s cinema career is important not only because of her success in the arts but also because it reveals the role of women and gender dynamics in Turkish cinema and the art world in general. Her life and contributions help us develop a deeper understanding of women’s presence in the film industry. As a result, this documentary will add meaningful value to the literature by focusing on Cahide Sonku’s unique contributions to cinema.
Evara

Student Documentaries from Türkiye

Evara

Cansu Carlak

Evara, which means gift of God, deals with the cycle journey of our character who finds herself in the middle of the climate change crisis in the conflict between city and nature. Based on the philosophy of second nature and social ecology, Evara is a critique consisting of questioning, resistance, observation and feelings and is reflected through performance art.
Playing on the Road

Student Documentaries from Türkiye

Playing on the Road

Eminhan Çakır

The documentary focuses on the daily lives of young artists performing in the streets and venues of İzmir. Each artist, with their own unique style and story, meets audiences in public spaces, highlighting the importance of music in their lives. Despite bans, pressures, and hardships, these young musicians strive to sustain their art and lives, seeking support and solidarity. Their stories of resilience and creativity, intertwined with the power of music, not only inspire but also reveal the ways in which they hold on to life and nurture hope.
Foto Akgün

Student Documentaries from Türkiye

Foto Akgün

Fidan Çaça

A tribute to Mehmet Akgün, a camera repairman in Konya who has been restoring memories for nearly 50 years. Foto Akgün tells the inspiring story of resilience, craftsmanship, and passion—despite physical limitations.
Bir Ömür Deniz

Özel Film Gösterimleri

Bir Ömür Deniz

Ahmet Özkan, Veyis Polat

This film views the sea not as a landscape, but as a living space. Here, the sea is not a romantic backdrop; it is a life woven with sweat, patience and repetition. We approach Mavişehir Fishermen's Shelter not as a place, but as a memory. This harbour, whose location has changed with the filling of the shores, bears the traces of over a century of labour. Against concrete, time and transformation, we defend the continuity of the relationship established with the sea. This manifesto aims to make the great stories of small boats visible. The labour of fishermen who set sail in boats less than seven metres long is a form of living knowledge that is in danger of being forgotten in the shadow of industrial production. We stand against the loss of this knowledge. Repeating the mending of nets, the threading of needles, the setting out to sea before dawn... Because repetition here is not ordinary; it is resistance. This order, re-established every day, is an expression of the ancient covenant between man and the sea. While telling the story of the fishermen, this film focuses on silence, modesty, and the power of collective production. It sees accepting what the sea provides as a virtue. We take on the responsibility of photography, the camera, and witnessing. We advocate not just looking, but seeing; not just recording, but understanding. A Lifetime at Sea is not an elegy for the past; it is a mark left for the future. As long as this way of life built with the sea continues, cultural memory will also continue to live on. Some lives are not written on land, but in the wake of the waves.
Los Pasaroz Sefaradis (Yönetmenlerin Katılımıyla)

Special Film Screenings

Los Pasaroz Sefaradis (Yönetmenlerin Katılımıyla)

Rose Modiano, Alberto Modiano

The Jews who arrived in Ottoman lands 530 years ago brought many cultures with them. Naturally, this included their language. Over time, this language blended with other cultures to form a new, unique language called “Judeo Espagnol”. Although it is in danger of being forgotten, the older generation continues to preserve it in areas where they live together, primarily in Izmir and Istanbul. The documentary is about the Los Pasharos Sefaradis Group, Kula 930, and many other Jewish musicals that have emerged over more than 30 years, the formation of the group of four people, and the concerts they have given.
Our Home, The Theater

Türkiye’den Öğrenci Belgeselleri

Our Home, The Theater

Fatma Nur Arslan

After the devastating earthquake on February 6, 2023, which affected 11 provinces in Turkey, the Kimyonok family, whose homes were rendered uninhabitable, moved into their cinema business and set up a home in the lobby.
NONE

Student Documentaries from Türkiye

NONE

Ezel Manay

"NONE" is a black-and-white documentary that explores an inner journey during the Şebi Aruz night. The film captures moments in the backstreets of Konya, where divine love and music intertwine. Focusing on this special night, it highlights how people from diverse cultures express their emotions through music. What seems like a celebration from the outside transforms into a profound spiritual quest and an exploration of the universal language of love. The film reveals the power of music to unite souls, emphasizing the common thread found in each culture's unique sound. "Hiç" offers an emotional experience that invites viewers on a journey not only through visuals but also through deep emotional discovery.
Forty Days Road

International Short Film Competition

Forty Days Road

Ali Ziani

In Forty Days Road, two colleagues (Ali and Ian) set out on a captivating journey across Egypt to trace the long route of camels traveling from Sudan to a market near Cairo. Along the way, they uncover the tough conditions of transport and join the camels on a 24-hour journey from the Sudanese border to one of the biggest Egyptian camel market near Cairo.
Back to the Land

Documentaries from Türkiye

Back to the Land

Kerem Kurtuluş

Tevfik, who moved to New York with his family at the age of 2, relocated to his grandfather's home in Rize, where his father was born, at the age of 35 and started a new life there. Tevfik has been living in Rize for 19 years and is now the father of two children, working in agriculture. He sustains his life by producing tea and kiwi.
bottom of page