DOCUMENTARY & SHORT FILM COMPETITION RESULTS

Monday, October 29 

Festival Opening

TURKISH REPUBLIC DAY


Celebration of the 84th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey and opening of the 12th Boston Turkish Arts and Culture Festival

November 2 - November 15 


Exhibition

THE WITNESS OF HISTORY... ANATOLIA

 

by Artist CEMILE AKPINAR


"Pamphylia: the land of many tribes", "Lycia: the land of light", "Cappadocia: the land of fine horses", "Cilicia & Pysidia: the stronghold of pirates" ... The cradle of civilizations... Anatolia...

Anatolia's known history extends back to the Palaeolithic epoch before written history. In Neolithic times, its people discovered the numerical system. They built the oldest city of history... They made the first written peace agreement... It was these people who built dams to rule nature; it was them who built ships to conquer the seas... They lived in the first republican states of the world... It was also these people who committed mass suicide in Xanthos, to show the whole world how to die for freedom. The myths and realities of the people of Anatolia found expression in their various arts...    more...

Opening Reception: Friday, November 2   6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Artist present

Visiting Hours

Co-presented with the Boston University Howard Thurman Center

 

at the Howard Thurman Center, Boston University   

Tuesday, November 6    3 p.m. - 5 p.m. 


TEZHIP WORKSHOP

The Ottoman Art of Illumination with Gold

 

by Artist GULHIS DIPTAS


In this workshop artist Gulhis Diptas, one of Turkey's new generation of illuminators, will present techniques of Tezhip, the Ottoman art of illumination with gold.  

Gold has a long history of use in manuscripts and paintings from the Islamic world. Koran manuscripts from the 8th century establish a tradition of elaborate gold illumination for verse headings, which later extended to frontispieces and section headings of most manuscripts. Meticulous methods transforming gold foil into a fluid pigment facilitated the use of brushes and reed pens to apply gold which, after drying, was burnished to create surfaces that glitter.   more...


RSVP REQUIRED  by Monday, November 5

Please also note this workshop is a part of the following exhibition:

Exhibition: GLITTERING GOLD: ILLUMINATION IN ISLAMIC ART - Including works of Gulhis Diptas 
On display until January 27, 2008 at MFA-Boston

Co-presented with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 

at Riley Room, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 

Sunday, November 11    7:00 p.m. 


Concert

AEGEAN CONNECTION

by ESTHEMA


Onur Dilisen, violin / Tery Lemanis, oud, bouzuki / Carl Sorensen, drums, doumbek / Ignacio Long, bass / Andy Milas, guitar

Esthema is a fusion of music from different cultures and genres. Elements taken from the musical traditions of Eastern European and Near/Middle Eastern music are intertwined with Progressive Rock, Acoustic New Age, and Jazz to create the sounds of a World Fusion Ensemble. The five musicians that shape the sound of Esthema bring together both Western and Eastern instruments to form a unique fusion. Bouzouki, Oud, Doumbek, and Violin color the compositions with their beautifully Eastern tone while Guitar, Bass, and Drums bring out the Western influences.  more...

Click here to listen to Esthema's music


Co-presented with the Kokkalis Program at Harvard University and the MIT Turkish Student Association

 

at Kresge Auditorium, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge

November 17 - December 15 


Exhibition

SILK ROAD

by Artist NEDRET ANDRE


Nedret Andre's paintings are about the intersections of different cultural influences. Being Turkish and born in London, she considers herself privileged to live among diverse traditions. She began translating both languages and cultural differences at a young age. She continues to re-interpret cultural and art historical influences in her paintings today. In the "Silk Road" paintings, she investigates the idea of cultural exchange and interdependence.  more...

Opening Reception: Saturday, November 17   5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Artist present

Visiting Hours

Co-presented with the Boston University Howard Thurman Center

 

at the Howard Thurman Center, Boston University 

November 23 - 28, 2007 

DOCUMENTARY AND SHORT FILM COMPETITION

As part of the 12th Boston Turkish Festival the documentaries and short films selection screened annually within the festival program has been transformed for the last two years  to a competition; the first of its kind organized in North America. more...

at the Harvard Film Archive and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

COMPETITION RESULTS

Friday, November 23 at 7 p.m. 
at the Harvard Film Archive

In Competition

MY MOTHER LEARNS CINEMA
Annem Sinema Ogreniyor

Written and directed by Nesimi Yetik

Short. 2006, 3' 25". In Turkish with English subtitles

How can a young Turkish director bring home to his old-fashioned mother the significance of the great names of the cinema history?  more..

In Competition

ZYMOTIC-AMAUROSIS Contagious Arbitrary Blindness

Written and directed by Ozan Adam

Short. 2006, 24 min.

Dreams of a blind man. more...

In Competition  

GEARWHEEL

Written and directed by Mohammad Farzinnia

Short. 2006, 3 min. 

A short film about human alienation. more...

In Competition

NOISE

Written and directed by Babak Meinaghi

Short. 2005, 8' 15". 

A young man defies a loudspeaker that is installed before his house and speaks continuously about freedom and democracy while at the same time, martial law vehicles patrol the city… more...

In Competition

THE GAME

Oyun

Written and directed by Serhat Furtuna
Short. 2007, 2 min. 
To play a game, you neither need a $1,000-worth game console nor it’s $100-worth games. All you need is a will and a little bit of positive smile to life. more...

In competition

SCREWS
Vidalar

Written and directed by Can Evrenol

Short. 2006, 9' 56". 

A man living alone in his apartment, finds a screw on his rug. He doesn't think much of it until later on, ...  more...

In Competition

SILENCE
Sukut

Directed by Deniz Ceyhan Arman

Short. 2007, 11' 47". 

Story of a family tainted with violence.  more..

In Competition

THE LAST GAME
Son Oyun

Written and directed by Mujde Arslan

Short. 2006, 13 min. 

A story of friendship told through a very special relationship of two old men who live in ghettos of the city.  more...

Non-Competition

TURKISH CHAT

 

Written and directed by Murad Cobanoglu

Short. 2006, 12' 53". 

Chat isn’t made only through the Internet, the “Turkish Chat”, never.  more...

Friday, November 23 at 9 p.m. 
at the Harvard Film Archive

In Competition

SINGLE WALL CITY
Tek Duvarli Sehir

Written and directed by Sevgi Ortac

Documentary. 2006, 5' 30"

This is a dream of a city with a single wall… It is based on the ancient city walls of Istanbul which still separate, safeguard and secrete people and places behind them.  more...

In Competition

OCTOPUS HUNTER
Ahtapot Avcisi

Directed by Devrim Erdogan

Documentary. 2006, 12 min.

A day in the life of an octopus hunter on the island of Zanzibar. more...

In Competition

THE SHORE OF LIFE 
Yasamin Kiyisi

Directed by Behiye U. Yilmaz

Documentary. 2007, 30 min. In Turkish with  English subtitles

Yumurtalik is an important place for the reproduction of turtles, fishes, birds, frogs and so many other living species. It is the birthing shore of the Mediterranean, which has so generously given of himself for thousands of years to the civilizations that have lived on its surrounding lands.  more...

In Competition

THE REALM OF INFINITE BLUE: BODRUM
Sonsuz Mavilikler Ulkesi Bodrum

Produced by Vedat Atasoy. Written by Muge Aral.

Documentary. 2007, 41' 45". In English. 
Although Bodrum is widely known for its beautiful coasts, beaches, sun and nightlife, in reality it’s uniqueness comes from its history. It is a very special peninsula which has hosted many civilizations, and has been home to one of the seven wonders of the world.  more...

 

Saturday, November 24 at 7 p.m. 
at the Harvard Film Archive  

In Competition

I NAMED HER ANGEL
Ismini Melek Koydum

Directed by Nefin Dinc

Documentary. 2006, 30 min. In Turkish with English subtitles

This documentary film tells the story of a 12 years-old Turkish girl, Elif, learning the basics of her religion, Mevlevism.  more...

In Competition

THE STRENGTH OF THE STEPPE: KANGAL
Bozkirin Gucu: Kangal

Directed by Coskun Aral

Documentary. 2006, 48 min. In English

A comprehensive portrait of The Kangal, the never-sleeping eye of the steppes  more...

Non-Competition

HIPHOPISTAN: Representing Locality in a Global City

Directed by Cigdem Akbay

Documentary. 2006, 25 min. In English and Turkish with English subtitles

A documentary  that examines the impact of hip-hop culture on Istanbul youth and reveals how young Turkish rappers, DJs, break-dancers, and graffiti artists creatively blend popular influences with their local cultural values and traditions.   more...

Saturday, November 24 at 9 p.m. 
at the Harvard Film Archive  

In Competition

LOST
Yitik

Written and directed by Abdurrahman Oner

Short. 2007, 19' 21". 

A night-watcher loses his wife and he starts losing his mind…  more...

In Competition


LAND OF BROKEN LIVES
Kirik Yasamlar Diyari

Written and directed by Alp Aslan Esener

Short. 2006, 28 min. In Turkish with English subtitles
Nuran, a teenage girl, returns home after being kidnapped and raped. One ordeal is over but a worse nightmare is just beginning.  more...

In Competition

ALETHEA

Directed by Petra Holzer Ozguven and Ethem Ozguven

Documentary. 2007, 41 min. In Turkish with English subtitles

Multinational corporations have been taking out licences to use cyanide in gold mining since 1989-1990. The film, which traces this process from the beginning and documents it since 1995, tells of the resistance of the natives from 17 villages in and around Bergama for the last 17 years.  more...

In Competition

TURTLE BEACH

Directed by Catherine Stryker

Documentary. 2007, 30 min. In English

Turtle Beach is a story of success against the odds in a fight to save a sea turtle nesting beach from development. The beach at Dalyan in Southwest Turkey became an international cause celebre as the campaign to stop a hotel complex gained momentum. The sea turtles became symbols of the growing awareness to balance conservation with economic development.  more...

Sunday, November 25 at 3 p.m. 

at the Harvard Film Archive  

Non-Competition

TROIA
Troya

Directed by Riza Baloglu

Documentary. 2006, 47 min. In English 

“Troia” illuminates the emergence of the ancient city of Troia by tracing an adventurous route beginning from Gallipoli and reaching Greece, Germany, England and Russia.  more...

Non-Competition

I HAVE TWO COUNTRIES
Jeg Har To Land

Directed by Nefise Ozkal Lorentzen

Documentary. 2005, 67 min. In Norwegian with English subtitles

I Have Two Countries is a documentary film series about Adrian and Julian, two brothers with Turkish-Norwegian background. The family moves to Turkey for 6 months. How do the kids adapt to Turkish culture? What do they feel about the Turkish school system, and how do they manage to make friends?  more...
THIS FILM MAY BE INTERESTING FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

Wednesday, November 28 at 8:30 p.m. 

at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston  

In Competition

FORSAKEN PATHS
Yollar Cimen Bagladi

Directed by Ruya Arzu Koksal

Documentary. 2006, 36 min. In Turkish with English subtitles

An intimate story about the semi-nomadic Cepni tribe in the Black Sea region of Turkey. Every June, the Cepni lead their cows on a two-day hike up to the mountain pastures. ...   more...

In Competition

HOUSEKEEPER
Gundelikci

Directed by Emel Celebi. Written by Emel Celebi and Necati Sonmez

Documentary. 2006, 50 min. In Turkish with English subtitles

Do we really know about the housekeepers, cleaning and tidying up the houses constantly? What’s it like to clean someone else’s dirt? Is this their own choice or do they just have to do this? Where do these women come from, and what are their worries, conflicts, consumption habits, lifelong expectations? By raising their own money, do they gain a certain kind of independency in a patriarchial society?  more...

November 30 - December 9, 2007 

THE FILMS OF REHA ERDEM

12th Boston Turkish Festival proudly presents the first North America retrospective of the films of Reha Erdem, a rare opportunity to watch the films of one of the young directors of contemporary Turkish cinema, who recently has received remarkable international attention with "Time and Winds". The film enthusiasts in Boston are familiar to the works of Reha Erdem with films such as "A Run for Money" and "What's a Human Anyway?", screened at the Boston Turkish Film Festivals in previous years. In this retrospective you will have an opportunity to watch all his works, including his rarely screened but internationally acknowledged film, "Oh Moon".


Co-presented with  the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Friday, November 30 at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 1 at 3:45 p.m.
Wednesday, December 5 at 8:00 p.m.
Friday, December 7 at 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 9 at 3:45 p.m. 

at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston  


TIMES AND WINDS  (Bes Vakit)
screened with SONG OF THE SEA (Deniz Turkusu)

TIMES AND WINDS
Bes Vakit

Directed by Reha Erdem

2006, 111 min. In Turkish with English subtitles
CAST: Ozkan Ozen, Ali Bey Kayali, Elit Iscan, Bulent Emin Yarar, Taner Birsel, Yigit Ozsener
Winner of the Best Turkish Film and FIPRESCI Awards at the 25th Istanbul International Film Festival. Received many positive reviews at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival.

This magical film is a haunting portrait of the tensions that lie beneath the seemingly placid surface of a remote, beautiful and rugged mountain village perched between sea and sky, untouched by the modern world. The director's fourth feature recounts the dreams and desires of villagers whose simple lives are regulated by the calls to prayer that divide the day (and the film) into five sections (the Turkish title literally translates as "five times").  more...


SONG OF THE SEA
Deniz Turkusu

Directed by Reha Erdem
2001, 4 min. 
A short film inspired by the poem, "Song of the Sea", of the famous Turkish poet Yahya Kemal Beyatli.

Saturday, December 1 at 1:45 p.m.

at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston  


A RUN FOR MONEY  
Kac Para Kac

Directed by Reha Erdem
1999, 100 min. In Turkish with English subtitles
CAST: Taner Birsel, Bennu Yıldırımlar, Zuhal Gencer


Set in present-day Istanbul. Selim is a shop owner, in his early forties. He sells clothing for men in his shop situated in one of the back streets of Istanbul. He is a family man who has devoted his life to his home and his work. He lives with his wife Ayla, his six-year-old daughter Esma and his elderly father, in a simple flat, in an old, modest neighborhood. He has warm relations with his family. He is known for his honesty and integrity among his family and friends. He is a careful spender. ... One day, in a taxi cab, Selim finds a bag full of dollar bills (approximately $500,000)...   more...

Friday, December 7 at 5:30 p.m.

at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston  


OH MOON! (A Ay!)
screened with ANY TIME IN OCTOBER (Ekim'de Hic Bir Kere)

OH MOON!

Aa Ay!

Directed by Reha Erdem
1989, 100 min. In Turkish with English subtitles
CAST: Taner Birsel, Bennu Yıldırımlar, Zuhal Gencer


Eleven-year-old Yekta lives in a mysterious, castle-like house at the shore of the Bosphorus, together with her lame seagull, her spinster aunt, and her grandfather, Sirri, who is paralyzed and bedridden, following the death of his son and bride. The bedroom of her mother is the place where Yekta takes shelter to daydream and hide her secrets. All she knows about her mother that she left one day in a little boat to never return. One night, Yekta looks out the window and sees her mother in a little boat, but no one believes her.   more...


ANY TIME IN OCTOBER

Ekim'de Hic Bir Kere

Directed by Reha Erdem
2006, 26 min.

An experimental film featuring scenic beauty set to music.

Sunday, December 9 at 1:30 p.m.

at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston  


WHAT'S A HUMAN ANYWAY?
Insan Nedir ki?  a.k.a. Korkuyorum Anne

Directed by Reha Erdem
2004, 128 min. In Turkish with English subtitles
CAST: Ali Dusenkalkar, Koksal Engur, Arzu Bazam,  Turgay Aydin, Isil Vucesoy, Senay Gurler, 
Ozam Uygun, Aydogan Oflu


Thirty-five-year-old Ali is knocked unconscious in an accident, possibly related to the robbery of a jewelry store, and has lost his memory. Although he remembers many of the people who live in his apartment building, he cannot remember his father, Rasih, a retired health officer. Rasih is vexed by this state of affairs and continuously insults his son and his amnesia. Coming to recognize the strange reality of being human, Ali is like a newborn baby, not only trying to remember past events, but also exploring his own body.... more...

Friday, December 7    6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.


ANATOLIA: A CROSSROADS OF FLAVORS

Join internationally acclaimed chef Ozcan Ozan, owner of the Sultan's Kitchen restaurant, for an evening of Turkish food and wine tasting at Boston University's Demonstration Kitchen. 

Although Turkey is fifth in the world in terms of vineyards, Turkish wines are mostly undiscovered. This event presents a rare opportunity to taste wines which are solely produced from the best domestic grape varieties of Anatolia.  more...

SOLD OUT

Special thanks to Kavaklidere Winery

at Boston University Food and Wine Program 

at Tower Auditorium, Massachusetts College of Art, Boston