Celebrating 21 Years! Boston Turkish Festival's 21st Annual Documentary & Short Film Competition October 30 - November 15, 2026 Co-presented with the Museum of Fine Arts Boston Film Program CLICK HERE FOR FINALIST FILMS & SCREENING SCHEDULE

FILMS AT THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, BOSTON Co-presented with the MFA Film Program November 13 - 15, 2026

NIGHT OF BLINDNESS Kör Gece WINNER OF BEST SCREENPLAY AWARD AT THE SHANGHAI FILM FESTIVAL FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026 | 7:30 p.m. Remis Auditorium Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 465 Huntington Avenue Written and Directed by REİS ÇELİK 90 min. / b&W / 2026 / with English subtitles Cast: Hacı Ali Konuk, Özge Arslan, Nilüfer Açıkalın, İştar Gökseven, Aydın Orak DIRECTOR PRESENT Q&A Following Film Screening Inspired by the director’s own real-life experiences, Night of Blindness is set in Türkiye in the aftermath of the September 12, 1980 military coup. The film is the second installment of the planned “Night Trilogy.” The first film, Night of Silence (2012), received the Crystal Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and was screened at numerous prestigious international festivals, including the Boston Turkish Film Festival, and winning multiple awards. A wanted activist hides inside the wooden formwork of a concrete column at a construction site. Only a thin plank separates the hunted from the hunters. As soldiers search the site without success, the arrival of a concrete mixer threatens to bury her alive. In the face of certain death, a small and silent act of courage may become her only chance for survival.   "Through its sharp and sensitive narrative, the film allows us to feel the massive impact created by small, courageous acts." — Official Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) Jury Citation (Chaired by Tony Leung), Best Screenplay Award

ON THE DRY ROCK Kuru Taşın Başı WORLD PREMIERE AT THE THESSALONIKI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2026 | 2:00 p.m. Remis Auditorium Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 465 Huntington Avenue Directed by YEŞİM USTAOĞLU, JASMIN SELEN HEINZ 82 min. / 2026 / with English subtitles When a dam floods a Turkish valley, displacing a mountain community, the film captures the haunting beauty of loss, abandonment, and despair while reflecting on memory, pain, and the possibility of renewal.   "The editing... moves smoothly between the two axes, allowing a compelling antithesis to emerge that serves the narrative effectively... Ultimately, 'On the Dry Rock' is an artistic documentary that nevertheless succeeds in presenting its social commentary with clarity, resulting in a thoughtful and accomplished work."  — Panos Kotzathanasis, Asian Movie Pulse

YELLOW LETTERS Sarı Zarflar / Gelbe Briefe GOLDEN BEAR AWARD AT THE BERLIN FILM FESTIVAL SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2026 | 2:00 p.m. Remis Auditorium Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 465 Huntington Avenue Directed by İLKER ÇATAK 128 min. / 2026 / with English subtitles Cast: Özgü Namal, Tansu Biçer, Leyla Smyrna Cabas, İpek Bilgin Derya and Aziz, a celebrated artist couple from Ankara, lead a fulfilling life with their 13-year-old daughter Ezgi – until an incident at the premiere of their new play changes everything. Overnight, they find themselves targeted by the state and lose their jobs and their home. They move to Istanbul to temporarily stay with Aziz's mother. While Aziz ekes out a living with odd jobs and holds on to his convictions, Derya searches for a way to become financially independent. An increasing distance grows between them and their daughter until they are forced to choose between their values and their shared future as a family.   “Berlin in the role of Ankara, Hamburg as Istanbul. The winning film of this year’s Berlinale is a meticulous analysis of a struggle against power that could be set anywhere and doesn’t lose its momentum for even a second. Playwright Aziz and his wife Derya run afoul of the regime, and although they overcome the loss of their home and their jobs thanks to the help of friends and family, it is unclear whether this conflict can remain entirely without victims. The new situation tests the relationships within the family, especially as regards the couple’s teenage daughter.” — Vít Kořínek, Karlovy Vary Film Festival

COMPETITION FINALISTS October 30 - November 8, 2026 In the Order of Screening Date BUY A COMPETITION PASS AND WATCH ALL THE FILMS SCREENED AT THE GOETHE-INSITUT BOSTON

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2026 | 6:30 p.m. - 9:45 p.m. Roots, Dreams & Literary Voices Goethe-Institut Boston 170 Beacon Street GET YOUR DAILY PASS Watch any or all the films screened on October 30 OR BUY A COMPETITION PASS Watch all the films screened at the Goethe-Institut Boston on October 30 & Nov. 6-8 ANKARA 1979 Directed by Can Karayalçın Short | 20 min. | 2025 Cast: Bennu Yıldırımlar, Enes Has, Altan Gördüm, Berke Gündem FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30| 6:30 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston In the late 1970s, as political turmoil gripped Ankara, Turkey, Faruk returns home wounded after posting illegal flyers. As political unrest seeps into daily life, he struggles between his ideals and his family duties. READ MORE... TILL DEATH DO US PART Ölüm Bizi Ayırana Dek Directed by Deniz Koloş Short | 20 min. | 2025 Cast: Gülçin Kültür Şahin, Menderes Samancılar FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30| 6:30 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston When ER nurse Songul, finds out that her ex husband is coming home to pick-up his belongings, in order to kill time, she embarks on a journey with an elderly man searching for his missing granddaugther. Another person accompanies them; Songül's judgmental inner voice. READ MORE... 2M2 Directed by Volkan Üce Doc. | 80 min. | 2026 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30| 7:15 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston 2m² follows the balancing act between religion and commerce of a Turkish funeral undertaker in Belgium. Every death raises the fundamental question after a life between two countries and two cultures: where does one belong, where does one want to be buried, in which two square meters? READ MORE... EVERYTHING BETWEEN US Aramızda Kalan Herşey Directed by Ilgın Korugan Short / 17 min. / 2025 Cast: Ece Doğa Bayraktar, Selin Şemsettinoğlu, Gülhan Kadim, Dilara Vural FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30| 8:45 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston Azra finds solace from the towering new developments around her house and crushing pressures of her family and school by a serene riverside. One day, her haven is invaded by Ceren who appears on the opposite riverbank. Over time, Azra begins to enjoy Ceren’s company and decides to open up. Until one day Ceren goes missing. READ MORE... ELECTION DAY Seçim Günü Directed by Deniz Cengiz Short / 19 min. / 2026 Cast: Doğu Can, Deniz Cengiz, Cansu Saka FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30| 8:45 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston İlker and Melis, a couple volunteering as poll workers for the national elections, attend a training session simulating Election Day. At the end of the session, İlker plans to propose to Melis. But when he unexpectedly encounters his old friend Arzu at the training, he is forced to question his ability to make “elections” in his personal life. READ MORE... YELLOW CANARY Sarı Kanarya Directed by Melike Kaya Doc. / 19 min. / 2025 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30| 8:45 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston 37-year-old Şafak Özdemir makes a living by collecting paper on the streets of Ankara. He had a childhood full of difficulties. Although his dream has always been to own a truck, he has not been able to achieve this but he doesn't give up and turns his four-wheeled bicycle into a truck, and calls it "Yellow Canary". READ MORE...   FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2026 | 6:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Borders, Myths & Human Resilience Goethe-Institut Boston 170 Beacon Street GET YOUR DAILY PASS Watch any or all the films screened on November 6 OR BUY A COMPETITION PASS Watch all the films screened at the Goethe-Institut Boston on October 30 & Nov. 6-8 LIFE BEYOND BORDERS Sınırsız Hayatlar Directed by Haydar Demirtaş Doc. / 62 min. / 2026 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6 | 6:30 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston In the shadow of the long-standing border disputes between Iran and Iraq, the mountains bear silent witness as mules, laden with diesel, fabric, and cigarettes, carry not only goods but human destiny itself. Life Beyond Borders bears witness to this unseen world and its silent journeys — it is a portrait of humanity suspended between borders. READ MORE... LOVE AND OTHERS Aşk ve Diğerleri Directed by Berna Sitera Değirmen Short / 20 min. / 2025 Cast: Bedirhan Malçok, Yağmur Ruken Kahraman, Engin Emre Değer, Emrah Aytemur FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6 | 7:30 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston Zeynep and Can are new lovers. One night, while cycling, they are stopped by the police. During the ID check, it turns out Zeynep has a record due to her participation in political protests. The officers disapprove of their relationship, leaving Can torn between love and the pressures of identity. READ MORE... SUPERMAN FELL INTO THE STEPPE Süpermen Bozkıra Düştü Directed by Serdal Altun Short / 18 min. / 2026 Cast: Ercan Kesal, Mustafa Kırantepe, Yaşar Karakulak FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6 | 8:00 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston Abandoned by his family due to economic hardships, Kâzım is forced to work in a circus job found by his friend, wearing a Superman costume. It is the tragicomic story of a man struggling against poverty and social pressure while trying to maintain his dignity. READ MORE... I AM 12 THOUSAND YEARS OLD Ben 12 Bin Yaşındayım Directed by Batuhan Karadağoğlu Doc. / 32 min. / 2026 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6 | 8:00 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston Gökhan, who lives in a small village hidden among the mountains of Kars, centers his life around the rock carvings he encountered years ago while wandering in the mountains. These lines etched into stone—ignored by the state, academics, and even the villagers—are, in his eyes, the voice of the past. READ MORE... WHY I CAME TO AMERICA: IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MY GRANDFATHERS Neden Geldim Amerika’ya: Dedelerimin İzinde Directed by Mesut Gengeç Doc. / 46 min. / 2026 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6 | 9:00 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston NON-COMPETITION Mesut Gengeç has been listening to the stories of his two grandfathers, who emigrated to America in the 1900s, and his mother’s uncles since he was a child. Years later, he sets out on a journey through both Türkiye and the U.S. to trace their footsteps. READ MORE...   SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2026 | 6:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Heritage, Art & Shadows Goethe-Institut Boston 170 Beacon Street GET YOUR DAILY PASS Watch any or all the films screened on November 7 OR BUY A COMPETITION PASS Watch all the films screened at the Goethe-Institut Boston on October 30 & Nov. 6-8 FERIDUN Directed by Utku Ali Güler Short / 13 min. / 2025 Cast: Arda Ünal, Ezgi Özcan SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7 | 6:30 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston Feridun, a reclusive man crippled by a fear of the outside world, lives a quiet, isolated life—until one day, he discovers a mysterious note inside his washing machine. READ MORE... LIMINAL Directed by Ege Yılmaz Short / 12 min. / 2025 Cast: Agata Nierzwicka, Ania Falkowska SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7 | 6:30 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston The outsider returns to her childhood house to check on her ailing father, but as tensions with her younger sister resurface, the past unravels, distorting time and memory in a place that no longer feels like home. READ MORE... RETREAT İnziva Directed by Saim Güveloğlu Short / 15 min. / 2025 Cast: Bihter Dinçel, Mehmet Tosun, Fatma Zehra Durgut, Bilgesu Akın SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7 | 6:30 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston Berna, hardened by life’s hardships, has grown suspicious and ruthless, haunted by a relentless sense of worthlessness. Seeking a brief escape, she rents every room in a secluded bungalow hotel. But solitude proves elusive—she soon realizes that no matter how far she runs, she cannot escape herself. READ MORE... STEPS ACROSS BORDERS Directed by Ahmet Lüleci Doc. / 50 min. / 2026 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7 | 7:00 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston NON-COMPETITION The legendary Stockton Folk Dance Camp's 78th anniversary happens at the University of the Pacific, CA - USA. Over 200 people celebrates the country's most powerful educational folk dance event for one last time in its only location for 78 years. READ MORE... NİLGÜN Directed by Tolga Oskar Doc. / 55 min. / 2025 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7 | 8:00 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston The documentary ‘Nilgün’ examines the 29-year life of Nilgün Marmara, a poet who left her mark on Turkish literature with her poems; her closeness to the master poets and writers of the period such as Cemal Süreya, İlhan Berk, Ece Ayhan, Edip Cansever; her unknown aspects; her place in Turkish literature; what she left behind; and her status as a poet.. READ MORE... SIYAH KALEM Üstad Mehmed Siyah Kalem Directed by Selin Aktaş Eyüboğlu, Murat K. Toy Doc. / 34 min. / 2025 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7 | 9:00 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston An artist whose name is not even fully known pushed the boundaries of imagination in 15th-century Central Asia by telling stories of jinn, giants, and demons, just to vanish right after. He left behind only scattered, fragmented paintings that seemed unrelated to each other. We do not know who he was, nor what he thought or intended to convey. READ MORE...   SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2026 | 3:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Identity, Migration & Performance Goethe-Institut Boston 170 Beacon Street BUY A COMPETITION PASS AND WATCH ALL THE FILMS SCREENED AT THE GOETHE-INSITUT BOSTON OR GET YOUR DAILY PASS AND WATCH ANY OR ALL THE FILMS ON NOVEMBER 8 With the Daily Pass you can watch any or all the films screened on the day GET YOUR DAILY PASS Watch any or all the films screened on November 8 OR BUY A COMPETITION PASS Watch all the films screened at the Goethe-Institut Boston on October 30 & Nov. 6-8 FOKA Directed by Deniz Devrez Doc. / 40 min. / 2026 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8 | 3:30 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston Dr. Dimitri Foka, a Greek doctor from Türkiye, survives a Nazi execution in Greece during World War II thanks to his Turkish passport. After graduating, he returns to his hometown, the island of Imroz (Gökçeada), part of Türkiye, and becomes the island’s only doctor for many years. The film portrays a doctor who chooses humanity over identity and leaves behind an enduring legacy. READ MORE... FILOS Directed by Nurdan Tümbek Tekeoğlu, Orhan Tekeoğlu Doc. / 50 min. / 2025 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8 | 4:00 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston Filos is a documentary about the life, ideas, and ecological legacy of Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı, also known as the Fisherman of Halicarnassus. Through interviews, archival materials, and dramatic reenactments, the film reveals his deep love for Bodrum, the sea, and nature, while exploring how his humanist and environmental vision still inspires new generations today. READ MORE... STORM ON STAGE Directed by Ahmet Lüleci Doc. / 41 min. / 2026 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8 | 5:00 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston Storm on Stage is the story of an extraordinary challenge against time. With exactly three days to teach two highly demanding Turkish choreographies to American students, Ahmet Lüleci faced a task that seemed almost impossible. Every rehearsal became a race against the clock—pushing through exhaustion, pressure, and doubt. READ MORE... ROOTLESS RESIDENT Yerli Yurtsuz Directed by Rıza Oylum Doc. / 61 min. / 2025 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8 | 5:45 p.m. Goethe-Institut Boston Rootless Resident follows Yervant Demirci, a blacksmith born in the Derik/Mardin, as he navigates the complex terrain of Armenian-Turkish-Kurdish identity in Türkiye and Armenia.The documentary follows Demirci’s efforts to reconnect with his heritage in two countries and three cities, despite the cultural and linguistic barriers that define him as Kurdish-Armenian and Turkish-Armenian. READ MORE...

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