Doc. / 82 min. / 2026 / with English subtitles
SELECTED FESTIVALS AND AWARDS
SYNOPSIS
When a dam floods a Turkish valley, displacing a mountain community, the film captures the haunting beauty of loss, abandonment, and despair while reflecting on memory, pain, and the possibility of renewal.
“When a dam swallows a valley in Turkey, destroying the property of its residents, a mountain community is displaced into a concrete world, searching for a place they can call home. A visually enchanting cinematic masterpiece that manages to stir an emotional response solely from the aesthetic aspect of the haunting imagery of the decline, collapse, and abandonment of a place. On the Dry Rock doesn't avert its gaze from human pain, nor does it soften the feeling of despair. Through the haunting atmosphere of its imposing visual language and the awe-inspiring cinematic portrayal of devastation, it allows us to remember that great cinema, and great art in general, can draw the hope of rebirth even from the depths of desolation.” —Thessaloniki Documentary Festival
"The editing... moves smoothly between the two axes, allowing a compelling antithesis to emerge that serves the narrative effectively... Ultimately, 'On the Dry Rock' is an artistic documentary that nevertheless succeeds in presenting its social commentary with clarity, resulting in a thoughtful and accomplished work." — Panos Kotzathanasis, Asian Movie Pulse
YEŞİM USTAOĞLU
Director, Writer
After making several award winning shorts, Yeşim Ustaoğlu made her feature film debut with 1994’s ‘The Trace’ (İz). The film was presented at numerous international festivals, including Moscow and Götenburg and won the Best Film Award at the Istanbul Film Festival. Yeşim Ustaoğlu received international recognition for her 1999 film, ‘Journey To The Sun’ (Güneşe Yolculuk) which competed in Berlinale and received the Blue Angel Award (Best European Film) and the Peace Prize, also winning Best Film, Best Director, the FIPRESCI Prize and the Audience Award at the Istanbul Film Festival. Launching her own production company Ustaoğlu Film in 2003, her third film, ‘Waiting for the Clouds’ (Bulutları Beklerken) premiered in 2014 Berlinale Panorama and was awarded NHK Sundance International Filmmaker’s Award. Ustaoğlu’s fourth feature, ‘Pandora’s Box’ (Pandora’nın Kutusu, 2008) premiered in Toronto (TIFF) and won Golden Shell for the Best Film and Silver Shell for the Best Actress Award in San Sebastian FF.
Yeşim Ustaoğlu was presented with the Boston Turkish Film Festival Excellence in Turkish Cinema Award in 2010 at the 9th Boston Turkish Film Festival.
Yeşim Ustaoğlu’s previous films screened at the Boston Turkish Film Festival:
JASMIN SELEN HEINZ
Director, Writer
Jasmin Selen Heinz is an award-winning independent filmmaker, artist, and cinematographer based between Vienna and Istanbul. She works across multiple facets of production, specializing heavily in directing, cinematography, and production design.
She attended the Central Film School London, graduating in 2019. Upon graduation, she was honored as the school's "Best Filmmaker of the Year". Early in her career, she received direct artistic mentorship from notable European and Turkish directors, including Nina Kusturica, Aslı Kışlal, and Yeşim Ustaoğlu.
Her short projects, music videos, and experimental films have been screened and awarded at international film and art festivals, including the Raindance Film Festival in London, Ars Electronica in Linz, and the Vienna Independent Film Festival.
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