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Foça Film Days

Cultural exchange in the Southeastern Mediterranean

We travelled to Turkey’s Aegean Coast this summer, where we not only enjoyed sandy beaches, ocean views and great seafood. It became even better when all of this came together with a pleasing mix of culture.

We had the opportunity to attend the annual “5 Nights at Beşkapılar Phokaia Independent Film Days”. Home to countless civilizations for close to 5,000 years, today, Foça (Phokaia) is a quiet, quaint seaside town on Turkey’s Aegean Coast. Now, thanks to the fifth edition of this event, film-lovers and filmmakers from around the world gathered to meet in this idyllic place.

Organized by the Municipality of Foça, this event was first organized in 2018 with the aim to introduce the region’s unique history and natural setting to new audiences around the world through a program of documentary film that is as rich, diverse and fascinating as the town itself.

The event aims to help raise awareness about the importance of heritage conservation, promote multiculturalism and inter-cultural understanding, and encourage sustainable tourism.

All participating films touched on the theme of “Change/Transformation”. The theme highlighted the importance of how and why human beings initiate change and transformation as well as the human response to change and transformation in society and the natural world.

D’art Duvar is very proud of Aslı Akdağ’s participating “Expecting a Grain of Sand” film, which has won the Special Jury Award at the Golden Orange (Altın Portakal) National Documentary Film competition.