PRESS RELEASE
A nine-day journey around the world through documentaries
Taking place from 13 to 21 June, this year’s Guest of Honour at the 19th annual Documentarist Istanbul Documentary Days is the Portuguese documentary filmmaker Susana de Sousa Dias. Iran is the guest country, and the ‘3×3’ section features Spanish duo Concha Barquero and Alejandro Alvarado, Iranian filmmaker Maryam Tafakory and Berke Baş from Turkey.
Documentarist Istanbul Documentary Days, which has celebrated documentaries in Istanbul every June since 2008, is marking its 19th edition this year. For the first time, the festival will extend to nine days, presenting a vibrant and comprehensive selection across four venues from 13 to 21 June 2026. The programme includes around 70 films across sections such as Turkey Panorama, Tribute to the Master, 3×3, International Panorama, The World We Consume, Women’s and LGBTI+ Stories, and Animated Documentaries.
This year’s Guest of Honour is the renowned Portuguese documentary filmmaker and artist Susana de Sousa Dias, with five of her films to be screened in the ‘Tribute to the Master’ section. Primarily working with archival material, the director is known for films that explore the presence of fascism in state-produced imagery. The section will include her masterpiece “48” (2009), which recounts the terror and torture of the 48-year-long Salazar dictatorship through still portraits and the testimonies of political prisoners. It will also include her films “Natureza Morta” (Still Life, 2005), “Obscure Light” (2017), “Fordlândia Malaise” (2019) and “Fordlândia Panacea” (2025). De Sousa Dias will be attending the festival alongside her producer and husband, Ansgar Schaefer, to present screenings of her films and conduct a masterclass.
One of the festival’s signature ‘3×3’ programme segments is dedicated to the Spanish duo Concha Barquero and Alejandro Alvarado. While their latest film, “Caja de Resistencia” (Resistance Reels, 2024), which is featured in the programme, continues to receive awards on the festival circuit, Concha Barquero sadly passed away unexpectedly earlier this year. At the festival, Alejandro Alvarado will give a performative presentation in memory of his professional and life partner. The presentation will focus on the unfinished projects of Spanish director Fernando Ruiz Vergara, the central figure in their films.
Another ‘3×3’ segment showcases four short films by Maryam Tafakory, one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary experimental cinema whose films were created by reconstructing the visual memory and archives of Iranian cinema. The final segment of the ‘3×3’ programme features Berke Baş, a renowned Turkish documentarian, who returns to the festival with three films from her filmography, including her latest work, “Dargeçit”, which won awards at Documentarist two years ago.
The award juries, composed of prominent figures in the field, have also been announced for Documentarist. The jury for the Johan van der Keuken New Talent Award, for which debut and second films in the Turkey Panorama section compete, consists of Cem Kaya, Aybüke Avcı and Bilge Taş. Meanwhile, Meryem Yavuz, Tuvana Simin Günay and Eli Haligua will judge the Editing, Cinematography and Sound Design Awards, which are presented in collaboration with Editors’ Solidarity (KUDA).
Besides Susana de Sousa Dias and Alejandro Alvarado, the festival will also host a range of guests, including, Julia Hollander, Nordin Lasfar (Netherlands), Walid Abdelnour (Lebanon), Ana Fraile (Argentina), Evan Kelly (Ireland), Atefeh Kheirabadi and Mehrad Sepahnia (Iran), Rena Effendi (Azerbaijan), Ilana Navaro (France) and Besire Paralik (Cyprus).
This year, Documentarist is hosting a special international gathering of representatives from alternative cinema venues, many of which were established through hard-fought struggles. These venues are located in cities ranging from Dublin to Buenos Aires, and Belgrade to Prizren. The meeting will also pay tribute to the campaign to save the Emek Cinema. Additional events include a forum on trans people’s right to access hormones and an ecology gathering in preparation for the People’s Climate Summit. Ecology is a key theme of the year through Documentarist’s ‘The World We Consume’ section, which tours 15 cities and has been enriched with new films for the festival.
With the support of the Consulate General of the Netherlands, the Embassy of Portugal, CultureCIVIC, the Camões Institute, the Embassy of Slovenia, the French Institute, the Cervantes Institute, the Austrian Cultural Office, the Consulate General of Brazil and Continental Hotels, and in collaboration with Editors’ Solidarity (Kurgucular Dayanışması), the Pera Museum, the French Institute, Aynalı Geçit, Postane, Manifold, Bianet and Fol Studio, the festival’s screenings and events will take place at the French Cultural Centre, Aynalı Geçit, the Pera Museum and Postane.
While Turkish-made films and all side events are free of charge, tickets for other films can be purchased at the venue entrances. Those wishing to purchase a combined ticket can visit https://biletino.com/tr/u-jc4n/documentarist-19-istanbul-belgesel-gunleri/.
More info: www.documentarist.org
Contact: info@documentarist.org