Turkish Cinema Highlights at Beach Film Festival Ohrid

The Republic of Turkey was the country focus at the ninth edition of the Beach Film Festival Ohrid, held from 22‑26 July. The festival, supported by Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism and its General Directorate of Cinema, used the event to showcase Turkish films, strengthen cultural diplomacy, encourage professional networking and promote Turkey as a cultural and tourist destination.

A Turkish film night on the boat “Armada” presented director Murat Firatoglu’s feature “One of Those Days When Heme Dies”. After the screening Firatoglu participated in a Q&A session. The film previously premiered at the 81st Venice International Film Festival (Orizzonti) where it won the Special Jury Award, later won Best Film at the Golden Bull Festival in Adana and became Turkey’s official Oscar candidate for the 98th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature category.

The festival also screened Shemus Altun’s debut feature “How We Breathe”, which had its world premiere in the Discovery programme of the Toronto International Film Festival and was selected for the New Directors competition at the San Sebastian International Film Festival. Altun’s film has earned awards in Cairo, Antalya and Ankara. Directors Firatoglu and Altun, cultural counsellor Mahir Enes Ozdemir of the Turkish Embassy in Skopje, and a delegation from Turkey’s Ministry of Culture participated in master‑classes, professional meetings and official receptions during the event.