Boston Turkish Festival Film Competition: Identity, Migration & Performance

FOKA. Directed by Deniz Devrez. Doc. / 40 min. / 2026. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8 | 3:30 p.m.

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.

FILOS. Directed by Nurdan Tümbek Tekeoğlu, Orhan Tekeoğlu. Doc. / 50 min. / 2025. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8 | 4:00 p.m.

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.

STORM ON STAGE. Directed by Ahmet Lüleci. Doc. / 41 min. / 2026. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8 | 5:00 p.m.

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.

ROOTLESS RESIDENT / Yerli Yurtsuz. Directed by Rıza Oylum. Doc. / 61 min. / 2025. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8 | 5:45 p.m.

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.