Category: Film

Communities in Türkiye

Communities in Türkiye

All had different reasons to move in another country, that can be listed as social, economical, educational or personal. Yet when they choose Türkiye as a second home they had one common reason: living in a modern Muslim country which will make them feel free to practice their religion, Islam.

Türkiye has become a center of attraction, where Muslims from all over the world, regardless of geography, can find their place, to perform their prayers, to fulfill their religious obligations, to raise their children with Islamic education and values, to carry religious symbols and to live together in peace with the local people.

In the series of Communities in Türkiye, we are looking closely to the life of Muslim foreigners who choose to live in Türkiye and build a future for themselves.

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Story of Amina Khan and Siddhartha Phillips who found their home in Türkiye

Two wandering souls in the modern world, in search of fulfilling their potential as human beings and Muslims. Creating their life space in accordance with their lifelong dreams. Having mixed origins, growing up in different countries, building a life together with two young kids; This is the story of Amina Khan and Siddhartha Phillips who found their home in Türkiye.

Jenny Molendyk Divleli, A Canadian Muslim working for the youth in Türkiye

Jenny Molendyk Divleli, a Canadian educator and author who found her answers in Islam, settled in Türkiye with her family in 2012 as she wanted to raise her children in a country where they can learn and love Islam. She aspires to be a guiding Muslim whom people can safely approach and ask any question they have in mind.

Story of an Ukrainian & Russian couple who started a new chapter in Türkiye

Sometimes, even if the countries you were born in are neighbors, life brings you together in a different geography, in a third country. Such is the story of Ukrainian Anjelika and his Russian husband, Salahaddin. The couple, came together by their search for meaning in the world, found the meaning of their lives in Islam and built their home in Istanbul.

Two Japanese Muslims in Istanbul, spreading the teaching of Islam

Building spiritual bridges between Japan and Türkiye through Islamic studies, Dr. Naoki Yamamato and Fuga Kimura tell us the similarities between Eastern Philosophies and Sufism as well as their stories of embracing Islam.

A step towards a promising future: Türkiye, the right choice

Sometimes a person takes a step towards a new beginning and it becomes a turning point in his life, and the future starts to manifest itself. The story of Moroccan Dr. Issa Aouhar is one of them, which began with his decision to study in Türkiye and continued with his professional life. Since 2013, Dr. Aouhar is experiencing the best of what Türkiye offers to a foreigner as a Muslim, humanitarian, young man, strengthening his hopes of building his future in these lands.

Diversity Stories

Diversity Stories

Turkish citizens from different religions and ethnic origins live unity in diversity and proud of internalizing tolerance, peace and freedom of worship since thousands of years in this land. Centuries old well-established culture of coexistence is telling the story of itself.

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THE CHALLENGE

Türkiye has been cradle of the civilizations, embodiment of coexistence, melting point of the

cultures, religions, nations throughout history. Meeting point of the old and the new, Türkiye is vivid, modern and cosmopolitan, yet interpenetrated with the past.

What makes these lands a constant choice for its residents from every background is the centuries old well-established culture of living together. Turkish citizens from different religions and ethnic origins live in unity and are proud of internalizing tolerance, peace and freedom of worship.People of Türkiye of Greek, Armenian, Assyrian and Turkish origin are telling their story of coexistence.

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Second Home: Türkiye

Second Home: Türkiye

In Second Home: Türkiye, Syrian Refugees from all walks of life, telling their stories of how they left their war-torn country, took refuge in Türkiye and started a new life from scratch. Stories in Second home: Türkiye are embodiments of courage, patience, determination and integration.

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THE CHALLENGE

Second Home: Türkiye documentary film is a product of three months work. Before making the documentary, a thorough research is conducted on the accounts of how the ‘Syrian refugee crisis’ is depicted in the media. Reading the visuals on the specific topic constituted an important part of the pre-field research. In the light of these studies, the field research team met with Syrian refugees, academic staff and researchers who work on Syrian refugees, as well as non-governmental organizations assisting Syrian refugees in Istanbul, Adana, Hatay, Gaziantep, and  Kilis. In these cities the field team sought for case studies that can present people from different backgrounds. In terms of the case selection process, scale is confined as wide as possible. People from the blue-collar to the white-collar, or from the small sized enterprise owner to the factory owner are taken as case studies. Interviews have been done both in cities and refugee camps. Sarıçam Camp in Adana, and Öncüpınar Camp in Kilis are also incorporated into the research process.

The documentary aims to overcome the existing disinformation about the Syrian refugees in the world public opinion. Having been produced by a mixed team of local and foreign members, the documentary invites its spectator to contemplate on social cohesion through the real life stories of the Syrian refugees both in the cities and in the refugee camps of Türkiye.

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Expats in Türkiye

Expats in Türkiye

Expats in Türkiye is a documentary that narrates stories of 7 different expats from different countries: USA, Australia, UK, Russia and Croatia. Watch our video to witness their experiences in Türkiye and be ready for surprises!

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THE CHALLENGE

For many years, the Middle East geography has been identified with many negative phenomena such as war, immigration, economic instability, authoritarian regimes, terrorism and so on, and negative perceptions caused by or attributed to these phenomena have spread through global media outlets.

Türkiye also gets its share of this negative perception operation launched by the foreign press, being depicted as an unstable, insecure country unrespectful to human rights and life, focus and activity center of terrorist organizations.

On the contrary, Türkiye is not the sole home to Turks, it hosts millions of refugees, hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals, and other ethnic minorities that live, work and study in peace and prosperity.

Our goal with this project is to narrate the accounts of foreigners in Türkiye from every walks of life, to present their experiences from first hand and to launch an initiative to eliminate  this biased perception.

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Inspiring Turkish Women

Inspiring Turkish Women

The Inspiring Women of Türkiye Project aims to present a closer look to the public and personal space of Turkish women, who break the routine with their productivity and entrepreneurship in art, academy, business and science, to share their experiences on “Being a woman in Türkiye”.

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THE CHALLENGE

Although many women face challenges at the beginning and work harder than their counterparts, by standing on their own feet, moving forward in their careers with sound steps and persistence, success stories are accumulating everyday. They believe being a woman is a unique opportunity.

Contrary to common biased Western belief, like anywhere else in the modern world,
Turkish women are rewarded in public with their accomplishments, recognized equally in social rights, opening horizons for the next generations with their determination. Believing that change in a society starts with women, Turkish women are turning crisis into opportunity, investing in new technologies, creating employment and most important of all, being a proud and self assured voice for all Turkish women.

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