Vancouver Turkish Film Festival

The Vancouver Turkish Film Festival runs from November 26th to 30th in 2025. It features an opening gala reception and a number of film screenings.

Films at the festival are in Turkish, but with English subtitles, so they can be enjoyed by everyone. The movies are intended for audiences ages 19 and older. Events like the opening gala and any panel discussions are all in English.

The festival celebrates its 12th year in 2025.

This article includes the following information about the festival:

When and Where | Thursday Night Opening Gala Reception | Friday Short Film Screenings | Saturday and Sunday Film Screenings | Other Information

The 12th Annual Vancouver Turkish Film Festival

The Vancouver Turkish Film Festival celebrates its 12th anniversary in 2025. The festival hosts an opening gala reception at the VIFF Centre.

This year’s festival is presented by the Turkish Canadian Society and SFU Woodward’s Cultural Programs. Most of the screenings take place at SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts which is at the Simon Fraser University Vancouver Campus at 149 West Hastings Street.

Turkish Film Festival at Vancity Theatre

When and Where

Festival events will likely happen on the Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday of November 27th to 30th in 2025. As of mid-September, however, exact details are to be confirmed.

The Opening Gala Reception last year took place on the Thursday at the VIFF Centre at 1181 Seymour Street. There was also a film screening that night a couple of years ago. Whether or not that’s the case again in 2025 is to be confirmed.

Incidentally, the VIFF Centre is also home to the Vancouver International Film Festival (which is why it has the VIFF name).

On Friday, November 22nd, last year there was the presentation of the Vancouver Turkish Film Festival Shorts at Cineworks, located at 1131 Howe Street.

On the Saturday and Sunday of November 23rd and 24th, 2024, there were feature film screenings at the SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts. That venue’s address is 149 West Hastings Street (which is just a few blocks from Gastown).

Below are more details about the happenings on each day of the festival last year. Exact details for 2025’s event are to be confirmed, but will likely be similar to last year’s activities.

Vancity Theatre on Seymour Street — Vancity Theatre (VIFF Centre)

Thursday Night Opening Gala Reception

On November 21st last year, there was the Opening Gala Reception and Film Screening. This took place at the Vancity Theatre (or VIFF Centre).

The event started at 6:00 pm, with opening speeches at 8:00 pm. The gala is a fancy affair and includes a bar, a toast and Turkish food.

Sometimes the opening reception event features a film screening. Whether or not there will be a screening at the gala this year is to be confirmed.

Visit vtff.ca for the festival’s official website.

Vancouver Turkish Film Festival — Film Festival Opening Reception

Friday Short Film Screenings

Last year’s festival featured a short film night at Cineworks in downtown Vancouver. The night began at 6:00 pm and featured 13 films. They ranged anywhere from six to 25 minutes long. There was an intermission break halfway through the evening as well.

As of mid-March, 2025, ticket sales for the festival at the end of the year are still pending. Below were the films shown last year. All of them were screened in Turkish with English subtitles.

The Longest Night – a man has to share a bed with his brother-in-law during an unbearably hot night
Cheers to the End – a father insists on one final family dinner during an apocalypse.
The Consultant – set in a dystopian future where each family is assigned one member who must make all decisions for them.
Gukla – a psychological thriller set in an abandoned mansion.
Minik: My Mother’s Short Story – director Mert İnan tells the story of his mother’s hardships in a short documentary.
When the Shift Ends – a film about a woman who believes she’s working her first day at a call centre.
Kadikoy: Town of the Blind – a short documentary set in Istanbul.
The Bomb – a woman is confronted by gang members who kidnapped her husband.
Between Delicate and Violent – an experimental film that touches on family trauma.
Passengers – a group of people wait for a train at a station, and come to a collective realization.
In His Fortress – a woman is confronted by grief while cleaning out the house of her recently deceased father.
The Loop of Ouroboros – a woman goes on an inner journey in a mythological world.
Spiral – a woman undergoes hypnosis following her arrest for being found next to a dead body.

Saturday and Sunday Film Screenings

A number of films were shown on the Saturday and Sunday of November 23rd and 24th last year at the SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts.

Films on Saturday, November 23rd, 2024

Films on the Saturday included The Good Death (at 11:00 am), Uncle Ali (at 11:00 am), Rosinante (at 12:30 pm), Oya (at 3:15 pm), and Hayat (at 6:00 pm).

The Good Death (at 11:00 am)

The film ran for 20 minutes and was a documentary about the Wish Ambulance Foundation, which is a hospice care organization that tries to ensure patients can say goodbye to their life in a “good” way.

The documentary focused on the last wishes of a man named Wim Beuving, and the volunteer who aimed to make those wishes come true.

The film was in Turkish with English subtitles and was suitable for adults ages 19+.

Uncle Ali (at 11:00 am)

This 30-minute long documentary centred on a man named Ali Olgun who has become a celebrated figure in Kadıköy for his unique lifestyle and hard work. Olgun made his way by collecting tins off the street throughout each day, and made all of his own food. He was known as Kabasakal by the local artisans.

The film was in Turkish with English subtitles and was for adults ages 19+.

Rosinante (at 12:30 pm)

This heavily-awarded drama film, which ran for 103 minutes, was about a husband and wife who left their jobs for different reasons, and found new work by buying a motorcycle and using it to transport people around Istanbul. The couple experienced a completely different lifestyle than they had previously, which was upended when their motorcycle was stolen.

The film was in Turkish with English subtitles and was suitable for adults ages 19+.

Oya (at 7:30 pm)

A documentary that was just an hour long and told the story of Gülbiye, the last remaining woman in her village who farmed silkworms. She taught the craft to her granddaughter through the form of telling her tales about the oya rituals.

The film was in Turkish with English subtitles and was suitable for adults ages 19+.

Hayat (at 6:00 pm)

This over three hour-long drama told the story of a young girl who ran away from home after being forced into an engagement by her father. After a while, her would-be husband decided to go to Istanbul to try and find her, in order to confront her.

The film was in Turkish with English subtitles and was for adults ages 19+.

Visit vtff.ca for the festival’s official website.

Films on Sunday, November 24th, 2024

Films on the Sunday included The Reeds (at 10:45 am), Crossing (at 1:30 pm), Not What You Think (at 4:00 pm), Istanbul Trilogy (at 6:30 pm), and Dormitory (at 8:10 pm),

The same as the films the day before, these screenings all happened at the SFU Woodwards Goldcorp Centre for the Arts at 149 West Hastings Street.

The Reeds (at 10:45 am)

A drama film that ran for just over two hours, it was set in the foothills of the Anatolia mountains. A young man named Ali aimed to win back his wife’s love, while also chafing against the oppression put on by the local gangs and landlords.

The film was in Turkish with English subtitles and was suitable for adults ages 19+.

Crossing (1:30 pm)

This 106-minute drama told the story of a retired teacher who went on a journey to try and find her long-lost niece. While doing so, she met a lawyer who was fighting for trans rights.

The film was in Turkish with English subtitles. The same as the other films, it was for adults ages 19+.

Not What You Think (4:00 pm)

A drama film that ran for 107 minutes, it was about three siblings who were forced to reconnect after years apart following the death of their father. While staying with each other for a little while, they became closer and learnt a lot about the others that they didn’t know before.

The film was in Turkish with English subtitles and was for adults ages 19+.

Istanbul Trilogy (6:30 pm)

A trio of short films that combined to be a 60-minute experience. All three films followed different characters in Istanbul, who were dealing with situations that touched on themes of family and remembrance.

The films were in Turkish with English subtitles and were for adults ages 19+.

Dormitory (8:10 pm)

At just under two hours long, this film was set in 1997 when tensions between the secular and religious populations of Turkey were high. A 14-year-old boy was sent to an Islamic dormitory to properly learn Muslim values, but he struggled to fit in.

The film was in Turkish with English subtitles and was for adults ages 19+.