Synopsis

The documentary film "Refika" is a journey on both sides of the North Aegean in search of a woman called "Refika" whose photograph I come across in Adatepe, the old Greek village in Turkey where the Turks and Greeks lived together before the population exchange between the two people. Hearing different versions of the story about Refika and her love Nazmi, I try to find out which version is the real one. Who is the woman in the photograph? Who is Refika? Who writes history? The final chapter of my journal witnesses how Refika"s story and her supposed picture have been commodified, and become marketing tools for a local brand.

Director's statement

This documentary is trying to find an answer to the question “Who writes history?”. Production countries are Turkey and Greece. Film languages are Turkish and Greek with English subtitles.

Director's short bio

Özge Deniz Özker graduated Cinema and Television department of Eskişehir Anadolu University, Turkey in 2004. After graduation, she worked as aerial cameraperson, director of editing and second director in several projects. In 2008, her first illustrated children’s book “Zizi’s Dreams” (Zizi’nin Düşleri) published by Tudem publications. Özge Deniz has written her master’s thesis “Aerial Abstractions: The Analysis of Aerial Photographs as a Visual Art Form”. She has two documentaries as a director, one is “Overlooking to the Sea” Triology, and the other is "Refika". She is a PHd student at Department of Cinema and keep working on her projects.

Film Participations Awards

• 6th International Rotary Short Film Festival; Best Documentary Film Award; 2014 • JCI İstanbul 8th Crossroads Short Film Festival “Inter Cultural Dialogue”;Best Film Award; 2013 • 18th Boston Turkish Festival Short Film and Documantary Competition;Special Mention;2013; USA • 14th International Golden Saffron Documentary Film Festival; Süha Arın Special Award; 2013 • Longing Across the Two Shores Short Film Competition; Best Documentary Film Award; 2013; İzmir • 25th International İstanbul Short Film Film Festival; Finalist; 2013 • 66th Cannes Film Festival; Screening; 2013; France • Planete+Doc Film Festival; Screening; 2013; Poland • TRT Documentary Awards National Amateur Category; Finalist; 2013 • 15th International Eskişehir Film Festival; Screening; 2013 • 9th Akbank Short Film Festival; Finalist; 2013 • Eutopia in Córdoba Film Festival; Screening; 2012; Spain • 4th Which Human Rights Film Festival-2012-İstanbul • 25th International Amsterdam Documentary Film Festival (IDFA); Screening; 2012; Holland