Main Competition
13 films
14 countries – 2 films from Türkiye
8–12 October 2025 · BOZCAADA
BIFED2025
The traces of watching, thinking and creating together. 518 submissions from 83 countries, documentaries and island encounters, followed by screenings across borders throughout the year. This is the memory of BIFED 2025.
Explore the films- 518
- film submissions
- 83
- submission countries
- 53%
- films directed by women
- 4,500+
- reported views
01
Festival in numbers
Each submission brought a voice from another place. The selection breakdown and figures reported by the festival:
Naci Güçhan Student Competition
7 films
5 countries – 3 films from Türkiye
Panorama
20 films
14 countries – 6 films from Türkiye
Special Screenings
6 films
16 countries – 1 film from Türkiye
518 films were submitted from 83 countries.
53% of the selected films were directed by women. All films were screened with English and Turkish subtitles. Screenings were free of charge.
Countries represented at the festival:
Argentina, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Iraq, Italy, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Norway, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, United States
02
Audiences & venues
Two venues opened their screens, bringing audiences together with films and filmmakers.
4500+
Halk Eğitim Merkezi
Salhane
03
Awards
The stories that stay with us are also remembered through the jury’s awards.
The Falling Sky
Eryk Rocha, Gabriela Carneiro da Cunha – Brasil, Italy
Yintah
Michael Toledano, Jennifer Wickham, Brenda Michell – Canada
The Town That Drove Away
Natalia Pietch, Grzegorz Piekarski – Poland
Bloodline
Wojciech Węglarz – Poland
Geographies of Solitude
Jacquelyn Mills – Canada
04
Events
Workshops, conversations and encounters around the screenings. This is a record of the past festival, not an upcoming programme.
- 8 October12:00Hand-building / Open-firing Ceramics Workshop: Mother Earth’s Symbolic Journey and New ProposalsItırlı Bahçe
- 8 October13:00Forest Fires on Two Continents: discussion with Ian Iordanu and Sevinç Özkaya after From the AshesSalhane
- 9 October14:30Welcome ReceptionSalhane
- 9 October17:30Artist Gathering: reduce/reuse/rethink Photography Exhibition (24 September–12 October 2025)Itırlı Bahçe
- 9 October19:30Firing: Mother Earth’s Symbolic Journey and New ProposalsZübeyde Hanım Çay Bahçesi
- 10 October15:00Collective Film Reading Workshop: Thinking about Films TogetherDelos Otel
- 10 October17:30Artist Gathering: Silent* Places of Anatolia Sound Installation (8–12 October 2025)Ataol Mahzen
- 11 October11:00Redefining an Island Economy: Islands Producing Their Own Energy and WaterDelos Otel
- 11 October13:00Healing / Acceptance and MeaningsZübeyde Hanım Çay Bahçesi
- 11 October15:00Analysis of an Investigation: İliç – A Perfect CollapseDelos Otel
05
Festival selection
The complete selection listed in the report. Explore film titles, directors and production details.
Main Competition
13 films- The Falling Sky, Eryk Rocha, Gabriela Carneiro da Cunha, Brazil and Italy, 110’ 2024
- Yintah, Michael Toledano, Jennifer Wickham, Brenda Michell, Canada, 124’, 2024
- Geographies of Solitude, Jacquelyn Mills, Canada, 103’, 2022
- Lace Relations, Anette Baldauf, Chioma Onyenwe, Joana Adesuwa Reiterer, Katharina Weingartner, Austria, 88’, 2025
- A Song for My Land, Mauricio Albornoz Iniesta, Argentina, Germany and Colombia, 96’, 2024
- Percebes, Alexandra Ramires, Laura Gonçalves, Portugal and France, 11’, 2024
- The Town That Drove Away, Natalia Pietch, Grzegorz Piekarski, Poland, 70’, 2025
- The Coriolis Effect, Petr Lom, Netherlands and Norway, 110’, 2025
- Beneath Which Rivers Flow, Ali Yahya, Iraq, 16’, 2025
- Shifting Baselines, Julien Élie, Canada, 100’, 2025
- Tomato, Pepper, Depression, Aybüke Avcı, Türkiye, 68’, 2024
- The Cycle, Bulut Renas Kaçan, Türkiye, 44’, 2025
- Only on Earth, Robin Petré, Denmark, 90’, 2025
Student Competition
6 films- Bloodline, Wojciech Węglarz, Poland, 13’, 2024
- The Tree of Hell, Raed Zeno, Lebanon, 20’, 2024
- The Visit, Ceren Bulut, Türkiye, 20’, 2025
- Write My Name, Begüm Aksoy, Türkiye, 15’, 2024
- Beyond Suez: The Changing Mediterranean, Kenan Verbakel, Türkiye, 8’, 2024
- An Iron Crust, Vasco Barbedo, Portugal, 20′, 2024
Panorama
19 films- Cancer Alley, Pamela Falkenberg, Jack Cochran, United States, Spain, 8’, 2023
- The Researcher, Paolo Casalis, Italy, 71’, 2024
- Hydrogen – Revolution or Illusion?, Andreas Pichler, Germany, Italy, Norway, 90’, 2024
- Adidas Owns the Reality, Keil Orion Troisi, Igor Vamos, USA, Germany, Cambodia, 22’, 2024
- Scars of Growth, Monika Grassl, Linda Osusky, Austria, Germany, 90’, 2025
- From the Ashes, Ian Iordanu, Brazil, 23’, 2024
- DIN 18035, Simona Obholzer, Austria, 13’, 2024
- Ceasefire, Jakob Krese, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, 31’, 2025
- We Live Here, Zhanana Kurmasheva, Kazakhstan, 80’, 2025
- The Last Straw, Éric Guéret, France, 73’, 2025
- The Parallel Currents, Pablo Chavanel, France, Cambodia, 68’, 2024
- Muzaffer, Ömer Faruk Çetin, Türkiye, 40’, 2025
- Ghost Sea, Şenay Ertorun, Türkiye, 25’, 2024
- Seva/Together, Nesime Karateke, Türkiye, 54’, 2025
- Small Finds, Sevgi Ortaç, Türkiye, 20’, 2023
- Rains Don’t Make Us Happy Anymore, Yashasvi Juyal, India, 26′, 2025
- A Strange Colour of Dream, Yasemin Akıncı, Türkiye, France 74′, 2024
- As Birds Return to Wetland: Devastation, Özge Doruk, Türkiye, 19′, 2025
- Vibrations from Gaza, Rehab Nazzal, Canada, Palestine, 16′, 2023
Special Screenings
6 films- Lessons of Darkness, Werner Herzog, Germany, 52′, 1992
- Along the Water, Rebecca Taouk, Lebanon, 22′, 2024′
- Mānthöûr Bayrūt, Farah Fawzi Naboulsi, Lebanon, 17′, 2024
- The Earth Weavers, Rima Kaddissi, Lebanon, 26′, 2025
- Is There Fish for Tomorrow?, Akdeniz Koruma Derneği – Vankey, Turkiye, 24′, 2025
- #NOFILTER, Kerem Oral, Türkiye, 15’, 2024
06
Juries
Different experiences and perspectives met in front of the same screen.
Main Competition
Student Competition
Music and Sound Design Competition
07
Pre-selection team
The pre-selection team who helped shape the programme.
- Aişe Özaytürk
- Beyza Aksoy
- Dominique Peftitseli
- Egecan Çitim
- Ergi İşbilen
- Ethem Özgüven
- Irene Jadraque
- Kyriakos Peftitselis
- Meryem Şanlıer
- Nigâr Mat
- Pavlina Lazaridou
- Pedro García Santos
- Petra Holzer
- Süleyman Evran
- Şevval Dolanbay
08
Festival design
The festival’s visual memory: trophies, tote bags and design work.
Festival Award:
Mother Earth’s Symbolic Journey Workshop
This year, the festival award statuette was selected from among the works created during the “Mother Earth’s Symbolic Journey Workshop” held as part of the festival.
Festival Totebag and T-shirt Design:
Ece Kurtboğan Kıray
Tatreez Bookmark Design:
Designed by Seda Portakal, inspired by the tatreez symbols created by Shereen Quttaine.
09
Festival team
The work behind the encounters. Roles and contributors as credited in the report.
- Office
- Beyza Aksoy, Egecan Çitim, Süleyman Evran
- Press Advisor
- Mustafa Dermanlı
- Press Relations
- Beyza Aksoy, Tuğrul Purde
- Hospitality Manager
- Selen Şentürk
- Events
- Gupse Tutar, Hande Kırıcı, Nigâr Mat, Selen Şentürk, Umut Can Dalgıç, Talya Özgüven
- Jury Assistant
- Selen Şentürk
- Social Media
- Asel Güven, Deniz Ağyel, Dilara Gevrek, Meryem Şanlıer
- Graphic Design
- Ece Kurtboğan Kıray
- Social Media Graphic Design
- Cihan Özorhan
- Spots
- Ethem Özgüven
- Pre-selection Team
- Aişe Özaytürk, Beyza Aksoy, Dominique Peftitseli, Egecan Çitim, Ergi İşbilen, Ethem Özgüven, Irene Jadraque, Kyriakos Peftitseli, Meryem Şanlıer, Nigâr Mat, Pavlina Lazaridou, Pedro García Santos, Petra Holzer, Süleyman Evran, Şevval Dolanbay
- Venues and Q&A Translation
- Aişe Özaytürk, Can Candan, Ege Akman, Elvan Kartal, Dilara Gevrek, Julie Gloannec, Selin Akçay, Sonay Ban, Zeynep Demirkol
- Award Trophy
- Mother Earth’s Symbolic Journey Workshop (Mustafa Hoşnut, Reyhan Güleç Hoşnut, Rahman Çelebi)
- Totebag Design
- Ece Kurtboğan Kıray
- Bookmark Design
- Seda Portakal
- Technical Coordinator
- Levent Menekay
- Municipality Coordination
- Bilgütay Ergül, Gamze Gür Özduran, Hande Kırıcı, Hülya Talay Koloğlu, Zeynep Özel
- Film Traffic
- Beyza Aksoy, Süleyman Evran
- Subtitle Translation Software
- Kenan Ağyel
- Subtitle Editing
- Ege Akman, Elvan Kartal, Deniz Ağyel, Dilara Gevrek, Sabah Deniz Gülensoy, Selin Akçay, Şevval Dolanbay, Zeynep Demirkol
- Subtitle Embedding
- Levent Menekay
- Film Screening Team
- Unitech - Özgür Oğuz Tuna, Alper Sönmez
- Catalogue Graphic Design
- Ece Kurtboğan Kıray
- Catalogue Editing
- Seda Portakal
- Catalogue Production
- Aişe Özaytürk, Meryem Şanlıer, Nigâr Mat, Şevval Dolanbay
- Technical Coordination
- Levent Menekay
- Webmaster
- Egecan Çitim, Mert Altun
- Photography, Video and Editing
- Adil Çetinkaya, Berna Küpeli, Egecan Çitim, Irene Jadraque, Levent Menekay, Tuğkun Zeroğlu
Opening and Award Ceremony
- Coordination and Planning
- Beyza Aksoy, Nigâr Mat
- Presentation
- Nigâr Mat
- Translation
- Aişe Özaytürk
10
Sponsors & supporters
The festival was made possible together, with support from organisations and the island community.
Main Sponsor
- KIA Türkiye
Supporters
- Avusturya Kültür Forumu
- Goethe Institut İstanbul
- Fransız Kültür Merkezi İzmir
- Rengigül Konuk Evi
- Aral Tatil Çiftliği
- Coffee Shelter
- Çiçek
- Çamlıbağ
Media Sponsors
- Apaçık Radyo
- Modern Times Review
- Bozcaada Mendirek
- Bozcaada Haber
- Muzir.org
Accommodation Sponsors
- Aral Tatil Çiftliği
- Rengigül Konukevi
- Bağbadem Tatil Çiftliği
- Alesta Otel
- Nefes Ada Evleri
- Nilada Konukevi
- Bozcaada Pansiyon
- Mavi Karga Kuzey
- Nilia Bozcaada
- Delos Otel
- Demirtaş Pansiyon
- Ada Evi Mu
- La Madre
- La Luz Bozcaada
- Hera Butik Otel
- Orta Oda
- Bağhane Pansiyon
- Mavrella Bozcaada
- Aspava Butik Otel
- Ersin Konak Butik Otel
- Adabahçe Pansiyon
- Gelincik Otel
- TaşAda Otel
- Aya Yorgi Evleri
- Lutro Otel
- Begos Otel
- Deli Asma Bozcaada
Venue Sponsors
- Salhane
- Halk Eğitim Merkezi
- Ataol Mahzen
- Itırlı Bahçe
- Tenedion Wine House
- Delos Otel
- Zübeyde Hanım Çay Bahçesi
Partners
- Yücel Kültür Vakfı
- İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi – İletişim Fakültesi
Transportation Sponsos
- Kia
Friendly Festivals
- DAFF
- İşçi Filmleri Festivali
- SiciliAmbiente
- Los Trabajos y las Noches
- Rural Encounters on Environment and Film
Thanks
Above all else, BIFED’s greatest strength is, of course, the people of Bozcaada, who have stood by and supported the festival for twelve years.
Thanks to this support, BIFED has become not only an ecological documentary festival, but also a symbol of solidarity and collective production.
11
Beyond the island
BIFED’s journey continued beyond the festival itself. Screenings across cities and islands during the reporting period:
BIFED Gökçeada International Ecological Film Days 28.5–1.6.2025
- The Grocer – Dimitris Koutsiabasakos
- Plastic Fantastic – Isa Willinger
- Fethi Hoca’s Island – Ethem Özgüven
- Formaldehyde – Oğuz Yenen
- Water for Life – Will Parrinello
- Alethea – Petra Holzer, Ethem Özgüven
- The Spoon – Laila Pakalnina
- Wine Dark Sea – Nefin Dinç
- Water Nomads – Ömer Güneş
- Tourism! – Tonci Gacina
- Green Gold – Nicky Milne
Events:
- Opening Ceremony / İmvros Ensemble Concert
- İmvros Ensemble: Timoleon Tsaknis, Kemal Yazgan, Ezgi Ceylan, Uğur Manay
- Nature Walk in the Footsteps of Goats – Sefa Oğuz
- Night Walk to Yıldızkoy & Arzu & Sefa Duo Mini Concert
- Is Knowledge Enough? / Talk – Emre Sünter, Neslihan Özman
- Film Reading & Talk – Ayşe Toy Par
- Farewell Breakfast
Thessaloniki – Hellenic Red Cross Volunteering Festival 12–18.5.2025
- Water for Life – Will Parrinello
- The Tale of Three Flames – Juliette Menthonnex
- I Am the River, the River Is Me – Petr Lom
- Singing in Dark Times – Ethem Özgüven
- Soundtrack to a Coup d’État – Johan Grimonprez
- Breaking Social – Fredrik Gertten
- The Waiting – Volker Schlecht
- When Tomatoes Met Wagner – Marianna Economou
Siciliambiente Film Festival 14–19.7.2025
- 36 – Rezan Mir Uğurlu
- The Tale of Three Flames – Juliette Menthonnex
AMT’25 – 8th International Conference on Advanced Model Measurement Technologies for the Maritime Industry 29–31.10.2025, Daejeon / Republic of Korea
- Haenyeo: Wisdom of the Sea – Lygia Barbosa
Ecos de La Tierra con Amigos de La Tierra 27–28.5.2025
- Water for Life – Will Parrinello
- Soundtrack to a Coup d’État – Johan Grimonprez
Yücel Cultural Foundation
- 11.1.2025 – Water for Life – Will Parrinello
- 15.2.2025 – The Touch – Ethem Özgüven
Mersinefil / Mersin Culture House 13.2.2025
- Singing in Dark Times – Ethem Özgüven
Marmara Island Ecological Film Day 24.5.2025
- Mancorna – Mert Gökalp
- Wine Dark Sea – Nefin Dinç
- Flying Fish – Nayra Sanz Fuentes
Lüleburgaz Film Collective – Ecological Film Screening 27.6.2025
- Old Houses and Cherry Laurel – Engin Yıldız
- Alethea – Petra Holzer, Ethem Özgüven
İBB Beyoğlu Cinema / An Island Breeze from BIFED (Year-Round)
- 28.12.2024 – The Day the Sun Fell – Aya Domenig
- 26.3.2025 – The Journey to the Safest Place on Earth – Edgar Hagen
- 6.4.2025 – Edna – Eryk Rocha
- 17.5.2025 – Arica – Lars Edman, William Johansson
- 15.6.2025 – Grief – Andrea Çulkova
- 12.10.2025 – Razing Liberty Square – Katja Etson
İBB Istanbul Film Office Ecological Documentary Days in the City / İPA Campus – Pool 6–10.10.2025
- Wine Dark Sea – Nefin Dinç
- I Am the River, the River Is Me – Petr Lom
- Singing in Dark Times – Ethem Özgüven
- Water for Life – Will Parrinello
- Twice Colonized – Lin Alluna
- Fading Away – Rukiyye Bayram, Zeynep Keskin
- To the Last Drop – Harry Putz
12
BIFED in academic publications
BIFED’s experience also became part of academic conversations.
1. Değişen Sinema Değişen Seyirci. Film Festivalleri ve Alternatif Arayışlar, Önder Özdemir, Nota Bene Yayınları, İstanbul, 2025, 396 s.
– Uluslararası Film Festivalleri, Hollywood ve Kültür Politikaları: Festival Çevresinde Anaakım Alternatifler, Lalehan Öcal, ss 39–67
– Bağımsız Festivaller Anlatıyor! BIFED, ss 375–379
14
Stronger together
BIFED is a member of Green Film Network.
15
Digital reach
The festival’s online presence, with periods and measurements as reported in the source.
Announcement Period (July – October 2025)
45% of the views came from new users.
Festival Period (26 September – 25 October 2025)
39% of the views came from new users.