Central Asia’s Glorious Cinema: An Interview with Dina Iordanova

Central Asia’s Glorious Cinema: Distant and Different, From the Edges of the Soviet Empire
Journal Article

In: Studies in World Cinema [1]

ISSN: 

2665-9883

Publication Date: 

05 Sep 2025

An Interview with Dina Iordanova

Authors: 

Aslı Kotaman

 [2] and 

Dina Iordanova [3]

[2]  LEFT Dr. Asli Kotaman was an Associate Researcher at the University of Bonn. Her studies focus on video activism within feminist perspectives.  Fellow at CAIS from October 2023 until March 2024
Visiting Fellow, Scuola imt Alti Studi Lucca, Lucca, Italy

[3] RIGHT Dina Iordanova Emeritus Professor, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK, Dina Iordanova (born 1960) was Professor of Film Studies  at the University of St. Andrews. A specialist in world cinema, her special expertise is in the cinema of the Balkans, Eastern Europe, and Europe in general. Her research approaches cinema on a meta-national level and focuses on the dynamics of transnational film; she has special interest in issues related to cinema at the periphery and in alternative historiography. She has published extensively on international and transnational film art and film industry and convenes research networks on film festivals and on the Dynamics of World Cinema, with funding from the Leverhulme Trust. 

Online Publication Date: 

05 Sep 2025

Abstract
A discussion of Soviet-era filmmaking in the five Central Asian republics (Kazakh ssr, Kyrgyz ssr, Tajik ssr, Turkmen ssr, and Uzbek ssr) which addresses the marginalization faced by republican studios within the ussr, whilst offering insights into the spatial, logistical, thematic, and aesthetic specificities of filmmaking across a wide and diverse territory. The transnational approach allows assessing the positioning of regional cinemas within the broader Soviet system with its structural hierarchies and centralized oversight of production, distribution, and education. The effort is to understand these cinemas not merely as provincial extensions of Moscow-based production, but as historically and culturally situated practices requiring closer attention within world cinema scholarship.

[1] Studies in World Cinema A Critical Journal
Editor-in-Chief: Eva Jørholt Associate Editors: Olivia Khoo , Jeremi Szaniawski , and Stefanie Van De Peer

Studies in World Cinema: A Critical Journal takes a pluralistic, polycentric and non-normative approach to the notion of ‘world cinema,’ treating it as a fluid and expansive term. The journal examines both local and global cinematic perspectives and their points of intersection, taking into account historical contexts as well as contemporary developments. It also explores the power dynamics surrounding access to and visibility in the global film market.

Contributions from scholars worldwide are welcomed on a variety of topics such as traveling cinematic tropes, creolization, transnational practices, global genres, remakes and adaptations in new settings, translation cultures, migrant and diasporic films, collaborations, co-productions, film festivals, multinational filmmaking and films addressing global issues like climate change and globalization. The journal also explores how new technologies influence global film distribution and how cinema creates new perceptions of the world. Theoretical reflections on ‘world cinema’ and related terms, such as transnational cinema, are also encouraged, with many more subjects open for exploration.

The editorial board of the SWC warmly welcomes submissions for open-call issues.
The journal also publishes themed special issues, for which contributions are invited from guest editors. Guest editors who are interested to submit a proposal for a special issue can contact the publisher, Masja Horn, masja.horn@brill.com

Peer Review Policy: All articles published in Studies in World Cinema: A Critical Journal undergo a double-anonymous external peer review process. This includes articles published in special issues.

Early Winter by Özcan Alper

 

Early Winter by Özcan Alper [1] (TR, 2025, 92')

When war erupts between Russia and Ukraine, a Turkish couple's surrogacy plan takes an unexpected turn, forcing their surrogate, Lia—a young artist of Ukrainian and Georgian descent—to stay in Istanbul longer than planned. As tensions grow over Lia’s bond with the baby, the couple decides to send her back, but Lia instead chooses to return to Georgia. What begins as a simple journey to the Georgian border transforms into a three-day passage where Lia and Ferhat, the husband, confront their fears and redefine their ideas of family and belonging. 

Credits

Directed by Özcan Alper; Written by Uğur Aydedim; Produced by Soner Alper; Cinematography by Yağız Yavru; Co-Produced by Sky Films

Cast: Timuçin Esen & Leyla Tanlar

International Sales Agent: ArtHood Entertainment GmbH [2]
Franz-Mehring-Platz 1 10243 Berlin / Germany
E: info@arthoodentertainment.com / T: +49 30 25561165

[1]  Özcan Alper (born 1975) is a Turkish film director and screenwriter of Hemshin descent.

He studied at Trabzon Lisesi. In 1992, he moved to Istanbul to study at Istanbul University Engineering Faculty in the Physics Department and then moved to Istanbul University Literature Faculty where he studied History of Sciences and graduated in 2003.

Since 1996, he was interested in films and took part in workshops organized by Mezopotamya Culture Center, the Nâzım Culture House (now renamed Nâzım Hikmet Culture Center). Starting 2000 started assisting in films under the supervision of film director Yeşim Ustaoğlu.

After being assistant director in the short Toprak, he filmed Momi as his first short film as main director. He also shot the documentary Tokai City'de Melankoli ve Rapsodi in Japan following it with yet another documentary entitled Bir Bilimadamıyla Zaman Enleminde Yolculuk.

In 2008, Alper released his first long feature Sonbahar (Autumn in Turkish) with multiple awards as a newcomer. He followed that with another critically acclaimed film Gelecek Uzun Sürer (English title Future Lasts Forever) that has also won important awards.

Filmography

Director

2006: Saklı Yüzler (as assistant director)

2007: Sonbahar (director), English title Autumn

2011: Gelecek Uzun Sürer, English title Future Lasts Forever

2015: Rüzgarın Hatıraları, English title Memories Of The Wind

Screenwriter

2007: Sonbahar (director), English title Autumn

2010: Kars Öyküleri

2011: Gelecek Uzun Sürer, English title Future Lasts Forever

2015: Rüzgarın Hatıraları, English title Memories Of The Wind

Shorts

1999: Toprak as assistant director (short film)

2001: Momi, director (short film)

Documentaries

Tokai City'de Melankoli ve Rapsodi

Bir Bilimadamıyla Zaman Enleminde Yolculuk

Actor

2011: Fotoğraf

Awards

For Sonbahar (Autumn)

2008: Won "Best Film" and "Jury Award" at the 15th Adana Altın Koza Film Festivali, Turkey

2008: Won NETPAC Award at the Avrasya International Film Festivali

2008: Won "C.I.C.A.E. Award" at Locarno International Film Festival

2008: Won "Silver Prometheus" at the Tbilisi International Film Festival

2009: Won "Best film" at the Ankara International Film Festival

2009: Won "Best director" at the Ankara International Film Festival

2009: Won "Best director" at the Sofia International Film Festival

2009: Won "FIPRESCI Prize" at the Yerevan International Film Festival

2009: Won "Jury Special Prize" for Best Film at the Yerevan International Film Festival

2009: Won "Best First Film" at the 2nd Yeşilçam Awards

2009: Nominated for "European Discovery of the Year" at the European Film Awards

2022: Received the Directors award from the Bogazici Film Festival, he dedicated the prize to Sebnem Korur Fincanci, the president of the Turkish Medical Association.[3]

For Gelecek Uzun Sürer (Future Lasts Forever)

At the Adana Altın Koza Film Festival

Best Director

Best Actor

Yılmaz Güney Award

At the Malatya International Film Festival

Best Film

Best Director

Best Musik

At Kerala International Film Festival

"FIPRESCI Best Film Award"

[2] ArtHood Entertainment GmbH is a Berlin-based world distributor of arthouse and auteur cinema with a special focus on European films as well as innovative works from all over the world. The focus is on the commitment to artistically sophisticated cinema with social relevance and an unmistakable narrative signature.

The company's goal is to facilitate access to the European and international market for emerging filmmakers worldwide while creating spaces for creative and intercultural exchange.

The sister company ArtHood Films is a dynamic production company that is characterized by its openness to diverse topics, talents and production styles. It maintains close cooperation with filmmakers from Europe, the Middle East and beyond and sees itself as a bridge between international narrative worlds and the German and European film industry.

Said Nur Akkus, CEO & Producer

akkus@arthoodentertainment.com

Said Nur Akkus is the founder of the German-Turkish world distributor ArtHood Entertainment and the film production company ArtHood Films. He was born in Turkey in 1986. He has been living in Berlin since 2011. In his role as producer, film executive and head of production, he has realized a variety of internationally acclaimed, award-winning films. Among others, he was head of production for the documentary THE LEGEND OF THE UGLY KING (2017) about the work of Turkish-Kurdish filmmaker Yilmaz Güney, which premiered at the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival and received the "Öngören Prize for Democracy and Human Rights" at the Film Days Turkey-Germany in Nuremberg. He served as producer for the "Best Film" winner of the Olhares Do Mediterráneo ÖTEKILER (2016) by Ayse Polat.

As We Breathe | Aldığımız Nefes by Seyhmus Altun

Şeyhmus Altun's debut feature, "Aldığımızı Nefes" (The Breath We Take), will have its world premiere in Toronto 2025 and its European premiere at the San Sebastián Film Festival.

The film, which will premiere in the Discovery section of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, will premiere in Europe at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. 

These two prestigious festivals are known for discovering new talent and fostering powerful stories. "Aldığımızı Nefes" brings the story of hope and resilience of a child forced to grow up at an early age to the international stage.

Seyhmus Altun was born in Diyarbakır, Turkey and currently lives in Copenhagen. He graduated from Istanbul Bilgi University’s Cinema and Television Department. He has directed the short film All the Light We Cannot See (19) and the television series Esik (21). As We Breath (25) is his feature debut.

As We Breathe | Aldığımız Nefes by Seyhmus Altun [1]

TIFF TORONTO,CANADA / WORLD PREMIERE

Turkey, Denmark | 2025 | 95m | Turkish

When a chemical fire spreads smoke across her village, young Esma must help her father manage new and old troubles in this brutal and powerful look at a rural Anatolian family.

In an Anatolian village, young Esma’s family is shaken after a horrific fire in the chemical plant where her father Mehmet (Hakan Karsak) works. Amidst the dense fog of smoke writhing its way across the area, families are being evacuated, with children falling ill, and economic hardship from the plant’s sudden closure will plague all. As Esma (Defne Zeynep Enci) observes her father's struggle to keep his family safe despite his continuing refusal to evacuate their family home, her perspective shifts as to the real cause of the strife.

A jarring take on a coming-of-age tale, emanating from a child’s wide-eyed perspective of adult complications, As We Breathe steadily builds thick tension, bookended with brutal moments of unexpected violence. Anchored by powerful work from Karsak, matched with a prodigious performance from new face Enci, the father/daughter dynamic hypnotically shifts between charming and harrowing. Expertly assisted by director of photography Cevahir Şahin (About Dry Grasses, TIFF ’23), director Șeyhmus Altun deftly conveys the seeming senselessness of the world when seen through a child’s eyes.

Enci’s instinctual and deliberate performance adds authenticity to this story, which originates in Altun’s own childhood. With moments of sweetness to balance the bitter, the film is punctuated with a pulsing score that steadies the laughter of Esma’s little brothers and highlights her dual roles as caretaker and child herself. Though perhaps wise beyond her years, Esma is not impervious to the leaden plume of smoke descending on her home, one that eventually takes a toll on her mind as much as it might on her body.

DOROTA LECH

CREDITS:

Directed by Seyhmus Altun; Cinematography by Cevahir Sahin; Editing by Evren Lus; Executive Producer: Fevziye Hazal Yazan; Producers: Fevziye Hazal Yazan, Seyhmus Altun. Johanna Sveinsdottir; Production Companies: Jurnal Kolektif, Punktur Pictures; Production Designer Sevi Sevgi; Costume Designer: Cigdem Ulusu; Screenplay: Seyhmus Altun; Sound: Dogukan Cicek; Original Score: Artem Litovchenko; Cast: Hakan Karsak, Defne Zeynep Enci

Publicists: ZB Medya Iletisim, Batuhan Zumrut
International Sales Agent: ArtHood Entertainment GmbH [2]
Franz-Mehring-Platz 1 10243 Berlin / Germany
E: info@arthoodentertainment.com / T: +49 30 25561165

[1] A filmmaker with a degree in Cinema and Television from Istanbul Bilgi University, combining strong technical skills with creative vision. With extensive experience in film direction, video editing, and shooting, expertise spans both commercial and narrative projects. Co-founded Mental Film in 2018, focusing on independent creative vision and producing multiple award-winning projects.

Specialized in commercial directing, with a proven track record of crafting narratives that align with brand objectives while maintaining high production values. Proficient in scriptwriting, with the ability to develop original content that engages diverse audiences. Experienced in all stages of production—from conceptualizing and shooting to editing and final delivery—ensuring seamless project execution and high-quality results.

A standout achievement includes the debut feature film Memento Non Mori, currently in post-production. Written and directed, the film was supported by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism's First Feature Fiction Film grant and featured in the Work-in-Progress sections at the San Sebastián Film Festival and Antalya Film Festival, where it won the WIP Award."

Seyhmus Altun was born in Diyarbakır, Turkey and currently lives in Copenhagen. He graduated from Istanbul Bilgi University’s Cinema and Television Department. He has directed the short film All the Light We Cannot See (19) and the television series Esik (21). As We Breath (25) is his feature debut.

[2] ArtHood Entertainment GmbH is a Berlin-based world distributor of arthouse and auteur cinema with a special focus on European films as well as innovative works from all over the world. The focus is on the commitment to artistically sophisticated cinema with social relevance and an unmistakable narrative signature.

The company's goal is to facilitate access to the European and international market for emerging filmmakers worldwide while creating spaces for creative and intercultural exchange.

The sister company ArtHood Films is a dynamic production company that is characterized by its openness to diverse topics, talents and production styles. It maintains close cooperation with filmmakers from Europe, the Middle East and beyond and sees itself as a bridge between international narrative worlds and the German and European film industry.

Said Nur Akkus

CEO & Producer

akkus@arthoodentertainment.com

Said Nur Akkus is the founder of the German-Turkish world distributor ArtHood Entertainment and the film production company ArtHood Films. He was born in Turkey in 1986. He has been living in Berlin since 2011. In his role as producer, film executive and head of production, he has realized a variety of internationally acclaimed, award-winning films. Among others, he was head of production for the documentary THE LEGEND OF THE UGLY KING (2017) about the work of Turkish-Kurdish filmmaker Yilmaz Güney, which premiered at the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival and received the "Öngören Prize for Democracy and Human Rights" at the Film Days Turkey-Germany in Nuremberg. He served as producer for the "Best Film" winner of the Olhares Do Mediterráneo ÖTEKILER (2016) by Ayse Polat.

62. Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival Announced

 The films competing for the Golden Orange in the National Feature Film, National Short Film, and National Documentary Film Competitions at the 62nd International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival have been announced.

The National Feature Film Competition of the 62nd International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, which will be held from October 24 to November 2, 2025, features 12 films.

The pre-selection committee for the National Feature Film Competition includes Prof. Dr. Nazlı Eda Noyan, founding chair of the Cartoon and Animation Department at Bahçeşehir University's Faculty of Communication; Hüseyin Kuzu, screenwriter, author, and academic; and Associate Professor Dr. Suncem Koçer, faculty member at Koç University's Department of Media and Visual Arts. The competition features a wide range of films from diverse cinematic cultures.

The awards for the 62nd International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival will be announced at the awards ceremony to be held on Saturday, November 1, 2025.

National Feature Film Competition

• Aldığımız Nefes / As We Breath — Director: Şeyhmus Altun | Producer: Şeyhmus Altun, Fevziye Hazal Yazan

• Bağlar, Kökler ve Tutkular/Ties, Roots, and Passions — Director: Sunay Terzioğlu | Producer: Timur Harzadın

• Barcelona/Barcelo — Director: Erdem Yener | Producers: Hüseyin Yener, Erdem Yener

• Doğudan Fragmanlar/Trailers from the East — Director: K. Erkan Yazıcı | Producer: Mahpare Tanın, Myrıam Carrel

• En Güzel Cenaze Şarkıları/The Most Beautiful Funeral Songs — Director: Ziya Demirel | Producer: Anna M aria Aslanoğlu, Emre Oskay

• Erken Kışlar/Ealy Winter — Director: Özcan Alper | Producers: Emre Oskay, Soner Alper

• Kanto — Director: Ensar Altay | Producers: Süleyman Civliz, Ensar Altay

• Noir — Director: Ragıp Ergün | Producers: Özlem Öcalmaz Yıldız, Jeanne-Peri Foucault, Ozan Yıldız, Ragıp Ergün

• Kesilmiş Bir Ağaç Gibi /Like a Felled Tree — Director: Tunç Davut | Producers: Sinem Altındağ, Hakkı Yazıcı, Cem Yılmazer, Tunç Davut, Faruk Güven

• Parçalı Yıllar/Fragmented Years — Director: Hasan Tolga Pulat | Producers: Tuncay Kaymaz, Tayfun Burus

• Sahibinden Rahmet /Mercy from the Owner — Directors: Emre Sert, Gözde Yetişkin | Producers: Kerem Çelebi, Emre Sert, Gözde Yetişkin, Ender Sevim

• Tavşan İmparatorluğu /Empire of the Rabbits— Director & Producer: Seyfettin Tokmak

EMPIRE OF THE RABBITS / TAVŞAN İMPARATORLUĞU
Seyfettin Tokmak | TÜRKİYE, MEXICO, CROATIA

Somewhere in rural Turkey, 12-year-old Musa has recently lost his mother, and his father Beko is now insisting that the boy join other local boys in pretending to be disabled and attending a special needs school a money-making scheme designed to cheat the state of disability funding run by Beko’s criminal boss Muzaffer He also runs an illegal greyhound race, with Beko providing the rabbits for prey while he learns the tricks of playing a cripple from Muzaffer’s young daughter Nergis. As the suppression of their adult world increases, Musa rescues her into his dream of a rabbit empire founded in an old mine.

Tallinn Black Nights (November 11- 24, 2024, Estonia)

Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography awards.

Ömer Vargı Heads the Jury at the Golden Orange Awards

Ömer Vargı will serve as National Feature Jury President at the 62nd International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival.

The International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, Turkey's most established cinematic event, will take place this year from October 24 to November 2, 2025. Ömer Vargı will serve as National Feature Jury President. The Best Film award in the National Feature Film Competition has been announced as 3.5 million Turkish Lira this year. Applications for the national competitions close on Friday, August 22, 2025.

Ömer Vargı, who will serve as President of the National Feature Jury at the 62nd International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, has directed more than 1,500 commercials throughout his career. Vargı began his film career in 1974 by working on Yılmaz Güney and Şerif Gören's film "Endişe" (Anxiety). He then served as Şerif Gören's assistant on "Earthquake," "Taxi Driver," and "River."

Vargı attracted attention in the film world by producing the 1983 film "Günin Eclipduğu Gün" (The Day the Sun Eclipsed) and the 1993 film "Amerika." In 1996, he produced "Eşkıya," which reached over 3 million viewers, becoming a turning point in Turkish cinema history and sparking a major revival in the industry. The film was also nominated for an Oscar. Vargı, who reached a wide audience as a producer and director with the 1998 film "Everything Will Be Very Beautiful," continued his success in 2003 with "Construction." He also served as a producer on Yavuz Turgul's Oscar-nominated film "Gönül Yarası" (Gonul Yarası), released in 2005, and as both producer and director on the 2007 film "Kabadayı."

In 2009, Vargı produced the TV series "Cam Kırıkları" (Broken Glass), directed the film "Anatolian Eagles" (Eagle's Eagles) in 2011. He reprised his role as producer and director on the 2014 film "On Yılda Bir İnşaat" (A Construction in Ten Years).

Ömer Vargı was also awarded the "Lifetime Achievement Award" at the 55th International Antalya Film Festival in 2018.

In his book "I'm Also Here in This Film," published in 2024, Vargı shared his journey in Turkish cinema, his behind-the-scenes experiences, and his unforgettable memories from the industry with readers.

Applications for Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival

Applications for National Competitions at the International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival Have Ended!

Applications for the national competition categories at the International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, which will be held for the 62nd time this year between October 24 and November 2, 2025, ended on Friday, August 22, 2025.

A total of 352 films were registered for the National Feature, National Short and National Documentary Film competition applications, which opened on Monday, July 14, 2025. In the previous year, the total number of applications was 267.

At the International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, Turkey's most established cinema event; While 45 feature films applied to the National Feature Film Competition, a total of 233 entries were made to the National Short Film Competition. This year, a total of 74 film applications were made to the National Documentary Film Competition category. There is a first screening requirement in Turkey for the films that will compete in the national selections of the festival. The national selections of the International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, which will contribute to Turkish cinema with a support of 9 million TL this year, will be announced on Friday, September 5, 2025.

The 2025 Golden Orange Film Festival dates have been announced. The 62nd International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival will be held from October 24 to November 2, 2025.

Following its 61st anniversary program, the International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival has begun preparations for next year. Bringing Turkish and international cinema to audiences, the festival supports film production with its funding and aims to develop lasting solutions to current issues through industry meetings.

The International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, organized by the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, has announced next year's dates as October 24 to November 2, 2025. At the festival, Antalya residents and festivalgoers will have the opportunity to interview filmmakers they admire. Furthermore, as part of the Antalya Film Forum, film professionals will exchange ideas and develop their projects, while filmmakers from around the world will have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Turkish cinema.

Meetings on the Bridge | Başak Emre and Pınar Evrenosoğlu

Başak Emre and Pınar Evrenosoğlu
are the new managers of Meetings on the Bridge

Istanbul Film Festival's co-production, training and networking platform Meetings on the Bridge will continue its activities in the coming period under the co-management of Başak Emre and Pınar Evrenosoğlu.

Başak Emre is a producer and festival director. She served on the executive board of the Ankara Film Festival (1988-1995), worked as the world cinema coordinator for the Adana Golden Boll Film Festival (2006-2016), and as the artistic director of the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival (2019-2023). She has been the director of the Festival on Wheels since 2000. From 2006 to 2017, she coordinated the Turkish film stands at the Cannes, Berlin, and Venice Film Festivals. She has organised Turkish film weeks at major festivals in over 25 countries and has served on juries at international film festivals.

Among the films she worked on as a producer and executive producer are The Confession (2001), Inside (2012), Nausea (2015), and Ember (2016) by Zeki Demirkubuz, Black & White (2010) and The Smell of Money (2018) by Ahmet Boyacıoğlu, and the omnibus film Tales from Kars (2008).

She has been a member of the European Film Academy since 2021 and became a Board Member in 2024. She continues to work as a programme consultant for the Cottbus Film Festival.

Pınar Evrenosoğlu has over 15 years of experience in film festivals, programming, and international event management. She has held various roles, including Film Festival Coordinator at the Festival on Wheels, General Coordinator at the Ankara Cinema Association, and Advisor/Programmer for the International section of the Adana Golden Boll Film Festival (2008-2016). As the coordinator of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s Turkish film stands at major international festivals such as Berlin, Cannes, and Venice (2008-2016), and as co-director of the Antalya Film Forum (2021-2023), she has developed significant expertise in organising international events.

Since 2016, she has also served as a senior communication expert for the civil society support programmes of the European Union Delegation to Türkiye.