This year, ten films will compete for the grand prize at the festival for the Golden Dolphin in the National Feature Film Competition!
"Vine Harvest" directed by Mesut Gengeç, about Burak, who escapes from his troubled life in Istanbul, confronts his past and buried secrets in the vineyards of Bozcaada.
"Creating a Man" directed by Murat Çeri, the story of a writer who loses the boundary between reality and fiction as he is dragged into the tragedy he writes, "Song of the Lake" directed by Tayfun Belet, about İbrahim, a fisherman living in a deserted lake, confronting his past when he encounters a mysterious stranger.
"Day and Night" directed by Ali Altınöz, in which Tufan confronts his own traumas when he encounters his childhood friend when he returns to his village to arrange his inheritance.
"There is Nothing New Under the Sun" directed by Murad Zaloğlu, which interweaves the tragicomic events that take place in the cemetery with the stories of father-son and loneliness.
"Kanto" directed by Ensar Altay, in which Sude, whose life is turned upside down with the disappearance of her mother-in-law, discovers family secrets and her own boundaries.
“Like a Cut Tree”, which tells the story of elderly Refik who is left with the children of his caretaker who disappeared on the eve of his death.
“Partial Years” directed by Hasan Tolga Pulat, about theater actor Aytekin unwillingly becoming a star in the crisis environment of Turkish cinema, during a time when the economic crisis caused by the American embargo in 1975 deeply affected the cinema industry in Türkiye.
“Beyond the Rails”, directed by Cenk İzgören, the story of Başak who begins to question the meaning of life when the train doesn’t arrive in the town she went to commit suicide.
“Rabbit Empire” directed by Seyfettin Tokmak, which tells the struggle of Musa, who is forced to pretend to be disabled by his father, to save wild rabbits like himself, taken from their nature and used as food.
International Feature Film Competition
10 Films Will Compete for the Golden Dolphin in the International Feature Film Competition!
Among the films in the "International Feature Film Competition":
“Dj Ahmet,” a co-production of North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Serbia and Croatia, directed by Georgi M. Unkovski, tells the life story of 15-year-old Ahmet who lives with his little brother, father and sheep in a small Yoruk village in North Macedonia.
“In My Parents’ House,” a German production and directed by Tim Ellrich, tells the story of Holle, a spiritual healer, caring for her sick mother and schizophrenic brother, while facing the resilience of her family and the weight of a hidden crisis.
“Lost Land,” a co-production of Japan, France, Malaysia and Germany, directed by Akio Fujimoto, tells the story of Shafi and Somira, living in a refugee camp in Bangladesh. They are left alone in Thailand when the illegal boat they boarded to go to Malaysia in the hope of finding their family crashes and they rediscover their hope with the help of strangers.
“Lost Land,” a co-production of Japan, France, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia, directed by Chie Hayakawa, tells the story of 11-year-old Fuki, living in Tokyo in 1987, with her sickly father and busy working mother. “Renoir,” which tells the story of growing up in loneliness.
“Sanding Dreams,” a Russian production directed by Anton Mamykin, about a young rocket science student who, upon learning of a family emergency, risks his dream of space for the sake of his family and loved ones and sets off on a journey to a remote village.
“The Love That Remains,” a co-production of Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and France directed by Hlynur Pálmason, about a family of three living in a remote Icelandic town shaken by the separation of their parents and how they rediscover the value of togetherness and life despite the crises and losses experienced;
“The President’s Cake,” a co-production of Iraq, the USA and Qatar directed by Hasan Hadi, about the challenging journey of 9-year-old Lamia on her journey to prepare Saddam’s birthday cake in 1990s Iraq.
“Where Do I Do,” a Polish production directed by Monika Majorek, about three siblings who confront the past and their repressed emotions by reviving childhood photos after the sudden death of their father.
“We Begin,” Iranian director Rasoul Sadrameli’s “Whisper My Name,” about Ziba’s dream of independence being complicated when her father escapes from a mental hospital on her birthday.
Stefan Djordjevic’s “Wind, Talk To Me,” a Serbian, Slovenian, and Croatian co-production about Stefan Djordjevic, who reunites with his family after the death of his mother and embarks on a journey to complete his unfinished film in order to reconnect with his mother.
A Special Selection for Palestine
This year, the festival shines a light on Palestine with a powerful selection that represents the conscience of cinema:
Cherien Dabis's "All That's Left of You" tells the story of hope, courage, and resistance through the eyes of a young Palestinian mother participating in a protest in the West Bank.
Kaouther Ben Hania's "The Voice of Hind Rajab," which won nine awards at Venice, centers on the tragic story of five-year-old Hind Rajab, who lost her life in Gaza.
Kamal Aljafari's "With Hasan in Gaza" is a journey of memory that begins with the discovery of old MiniDV tapes, tracing the path of a man lost in war and time.
Areeb Zuaiter's documentary "Yalla Parkour" explores the meaning of identity, belonging, and resistance amidst the ruins of Gaza.
The Bosphorus Film Festival's "Out of Competition Special Screening" selection will screen Ali Kemal Pasiner's "Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu, Those Who Hid the Secret of the Earth," which won the Special Jury Prize at the 61st International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival; "I Passed Through the Boulevard of Fog: Biket İlhan," directed by Mehmet Güreli; and "The Secret in Canvas," a Cyprus production directed by Ömer Evre.Reinaldo Marcus Green will chair the jury for the International Feature Film Competition at the 13th Bosphorus Film Festival. The jury also includes journalist and film critic Angela Prudenzi, actress Kani Kusruti, producer Natalia Libet, and director Senad Šahmanović.
Bosphorus Film Festival International Jury Members Announced
Reinaldo Marcus Green, who served as President of the International Jury at this year's Bosphorus Film Festival, is an award-winning screenwriter, director, and producer known for both his intimate storytelling and his global appeal. His debut feature, Monsters and Men (2018), won the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. King Richard (2021), earned Will Smith an Oscar for Best Actor and received five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. The 2024 film Bob Marley: One Love was a worldwide box office success. Green has completed production on Marvel's The Punisher, scheduled for release in 2026, and is currently working on a Tiger Woods biopic in partnership with Irwin Winkler at Higher Ground Productions.
Journalist and film critic Angela Prudenzi is a member of the Venice Film Festival Selection Committee. She is the Artistic Director of InCinema, Italy's first inclusive festival to screen films with subtitles and audio description. She has worked as a curator and special events consultant at the National Film Archive in Rome and as a programmer at festivals such as SIC/International Critics' Week, Pesaro, Festa di Roma, and Taormina. Prudenzi, currently a consultant for Bif&st, leads projects focusing on gender and inclusivity, including Women's Films in Accessible Versions and the Ministry of Culture-supported WICIP.
Indian actress Kani Kusruti won the 2020 Kerala State Film Awards for Best Actress and the Moscow International Film Festival BRICS Award for Best Actress for her performance in Sajin Baabu's Biriyaani. Known for her challenging roles in Malayalam, Tamil, and French cinema, Kusruti is an active figure in gender equality and human rights. She furthered her international success by winning the Audience Award for Girls Will Be Girls at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and the Grand Prize for All We Imagine as Light at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
Natalia Libet is an award-winning Ukrainian producer and co-founder of 2Brave Productions, a women's film. His productions include Timestamp (2025 Berlin Film Festival), Stop-Zemlia (2021 Berlinale Generation 14+ Crystal Bear), and Forever-Forever (2023 Venice Orizzonti Extra; 2024 Istanbul Film Festival Golden Tulip & FIPRESCI). Libet, who earned his MBA in the US with an Edmund Muskie scholarship, is a member of the European and Ukrainian Film Academies. He directs Tatino Films' First Cut+ workshop and has completed the EURODOC, LIM, Emerging Producers, MIDPOINT, and Nipkow programs.
Senad Šahmanović is a Montenegrin filmmaker who completed his Film and Television Directing degree with a BA and MA from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Cetinje. He has been selected for programs such as Berlinale Talents, Sarajevo Talent Campus, and Midpoint. His short films have screened at over 70 festivals including Tampere, Odense, and Busan. He particularly attracted attention with the Grand Prize he won at the Drama International Short Film Festival. Since 2015, he has directed documentary and fiction projects for Montenegrin National Television and continues to head the channel's Culture & Arts Department. His first feature, Sirin, premiered at the Sarajevo Film Festival and was Montenegro's entry for the 96th Academy Awards. His second film, Pontonovo srce, stood out with its film-TV hybrid structure and won the Golden Mimosa for Best Actor.
For more information about the festival, visit www.bogazicifilmfestivali.com and the festival's official social media accounts.
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