A meeting of
hearts and minds working to bring Turkish cinema to North America
On June 11,
2025, at 7 PM EST, fifteen Turkish cinema enthusiasts from across the U.S. and
Canada gathered on Zoom to share ideas, challenges, and aspirations around launching
Turkish film festivals in North America.
The meeting
was hosted by Mr. Erju Akman, an independent film curator and editor of the
Turkish Cinema Newsletter. He introduced special guest Mr. Erkut Gömülü,
director of the Boston Turkish Film Festival and founder of the longest
continuously running Turkish film festival in the U.S.
Mr. Gömülü
opened the floor by inviting each participant to introduce themselves. What
followed was an engaging and inspiring discussion among organizers, curators,
and community leaders passionate about Turkish cinema.
From the
Pacific Coast to the shores of Lake Michigan, attendees voiced their
concerns—chief among them, the challenge of reaching wider audiences while
navigating high distribution costs.
Mr. Gömülü
offered practical advice: start small, focus on selecting compelling films, and
grow gradually. In the early years, it’s more important to bring rare,
high-quality films to local audiences than to invest in expensive features like
celebrity appearances. However, as interest builds, organizers might consider
inviting Turkish actors and directors to attend in person.
He
emphasized the importance of setting a realistic, conservative budget and
exploring all funding avenues—from grants to sponsorships. Contingency funds
are essential for unexpected costs, and any surplus should be reinvested into
future festivals.
Several key
topics emerged during the discussion: how to choose the right venues, obtain
screening rights, navigate funding sources, and market effectively. For many,
the biggest challenge is the limited representation—or misrepresentation—of
Turkish culture in mainstream North American media. This presents both an
obstacle and an opportunity.
Reaching a
large enough audience to cover costs requires a thoughtful strategy. Mr. Gömülü
stressed the importance of passion and persistence. He recommended partnering
with existing arts and culture festivals, reaching out to academic
institutions, and tapping into university communities. Early collaborations
with the Harvard Film Archive and Boston University’s College of Fine Arts were
critical to his festival’s success. Later, the addition of short film and
documentary competitions helped broaden their reach and promote a more nuanced
understanding of Turkey and its people.
The struggle
against stereotypes isn’t unique to the Turkish diaspora, but the specifics
are. As seen in the success of Iranian American film festivals, cinematic
storytelling can entertain and educate, while shifting public perceptions over
time.
Many
participants, themselves immigrants, spoke of a dual goal: reconnecting with
their cultural roots while also building bridges within their new
communities.
Mr. Gömülü
referenced a recent article by Mr. Akman (Turkish Film Festival Articles.pdf / previously
provided ), which outlines cost-saving strategies for festival
planning—offering yet another valuable tool for aspiring organizers that can
help in budgetary considerations.
A recurring
theme throughout the conversation was collaboration. Boston’s partnerships with
local colleges, Seattle’s coordination with other ethnic film festivals, and
joint initiatives between regions all underscored the power of working
together.
For example,
the Seattle Turkish Film Festival (STFF), led by Mr. Semih Tareen, recently
supported a Texas-based team in launching their own festival. Mr. Tareen also
advocates inter- community outreach exemplified by his collaboration with the
Italian Film Festival in Seattle and extended an open offer to support similar
initiatives across North America.
Mr. Tareen
shared Seattle’s approach to building an audience: focus on independent films
with socially and politically relevant themes that appeal to the public—not
just the Turkish community. Their festival screens both features and shorts and
often brings over filmmakers, thanks to cost-effective programming and diligent
sourcing of independent funds. In some cases, they’ve even hosted world
premieres of rare indie films and regularly feature at least 1 filmmaker of
acclaimed shorts.
An
especially innovative move by STFF has been its partnership with the Vancouver
Turkish Film Festival (VTFF). By scheduling their festivals back-to-back, films
and visiting filmmakers can travel from Seattle to Vancouver, maximizing
exposure and minimizing cost-provided visas are secured for both
countries.
Many
attendees are active volunteers within larger cultural organizations. The team
from California, for example, is preparing to celebrate 50 years of community
presence in the Golden state.
Despite this
long-standing history, securing arts funding remains a struggle—particularly
for Turkish-focused initiatives. Regional collaboration, such as sharing
resources between states and provinces, may offer a path forward.
The one-hour
call flew by, packed with thoughtful insights and a spirit of innovation. There
was serious discussion of launching a traveling festival, starting on the West
Coast, where groundwork between Seattle and Vancouver is already in place.
Others proposed seeking out public-private partnerships and academic
collaborations to expand reach and access to the arts.
With these
efforts, there is increased access to beloved content that not only deserve
wider reach, but platforming these narratives has the added bonus of shinning a
positive light on Turkish cinema created both within the Turkish border and
beyond.
The
conversation ended on an optimistic note: while the primary barrier to
launching Turkish film festivals remains funding, there are many tested and
emerging pathways to success. Veterans like Mr. Gömülü, Mr. Akman, and Mr.
Tareen encouraged continued dialogue, mentorship, and cooperation—planting the
seeds for a vibrant future for Turkish cinema in North America.
FUTURE ZOOM
MEETINGS ARE PLANNED TO BE CONDUCTED IN TURKISH / ALL RELATED CORRESPONDENCE
WILL BE IN ENGLISH.
Ercument
Akman
Washington DC
T: 703 868 4312
E: eackman#gmail.com
maviboncuk.blogspot.com
Minutes recorded and written by Billie Akman
to be issued to all registrants and attendees.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment