The 3rd International Mythology Film Festival begins

Evaluating mythology not only as narratives of the past but also as a part of today's world of art and thought, the International Mythology Film Festival meets its audience in its third year with the theme of “Mythology and Woman”. The festival will be held between September 22–30, 2025, in İzmir, Aydın, Manisa, Istanbul, and Çanakkale, and will be open to everyone and free of charge.

The festival is directed by author Gülşah Elikbank, while film critic Gökmen Küçüktaşdemir serves as the artistic director. The event program is enriched with short film and digital game competitions, as well as international film screenings, panels, talks, workshops, and special events to be held in ancient sites. One of the highlights of this year's events will be a concert by the Swedish music group YoJuliet at the Tralleis Ancient City in Aydın.

The festival's closing ceremony will be held on the evening of September 30 at the Ancient City of Troy. At the ceremony, symbolic awards inspired by Turkish mythology will be presented to their recipients. The Ülgen (Goodness) Award will be given to director Derviş Zaim, known for his ethical and aesthetic contributions to cinema; and the Mergen (Wisdom) Award will be presented to archaeologist Prof. Dr. Necmi Karul, who has shed light on the ancient cultures of Anatolia with projects such as Göbeklitepe and Taş Tepeler. These awards, previously presented to names such as Ezel Akay, Ercan Kesal, Muazzez İlmiye Çığ, and Prof. Dr. Mehmet Özdoğan, were specially designed this year by archaeologist and ceramic artist Hülya Akyol. Symbolizing the memory of the earth and the transformative power of fire, these works carry meanings that integrate with mythological elements.

Festival Experience at Tralleis Ancient City

One of the most remarkable stops of the festival will be the three-thousand-year-old Tralleis Ancient City located in the Efeler district of Aydın. Hosting the Seikilos Epitaph, the world's oldest known musical composition with notation, the ancient city will host a festival for the first time. On September 25, in a program supported by the Efeler Municipality, YoJuliet, known for their live musical accompaniment to silent films, will take the stage. The group will make a reference to the musical history of Tralleis with a special repertoire featuring themes of mythology and literature. In the talk titled “The Common Story of Humanity” to be held after the concert, academics and writers will bring Anatolia's cultural heritage together with the present day.

Mythology Goes Digital with the Digital Game Competition

Another event to be held for the first time this year is the Digital Game Competition. Aiming to bring Anatolian mythology to digital platforms, the competition offers young developers the opportunity to promote their projects on a global scale. Game projects suitable for mobile and PC platforms will have the chance to win professional mentorship and international investment support.

Film Screenings and Panels

In the festival's short film competition, female heroes and goddess figures stand out. The selection committee, chaired by Prof. Dr. Alev Parsa, will present films selected from productions shot after 2022 to the audience.

Special film screenings to be held with the contributions of international cultural institutions include remarkable productions such as Undine (Christian Petzold), Gunnar Hedes Saga (Mauritz Stiller), Earwig and the Witch (Goro Miyazaki), My Life as a Courgette (Claude Barras), Ponyo (Hayao Miyazaki), Superman (James Gunn), La Montagne (Thomas Salvador), Balinanın Bilgisi (Önder Şengül), and HisTroy (Ülkü Sönmez).

In addition, many panels and talks will meet the audience throughout the festival.

? In the “Hero's Journey” panel, mythological hero archetypes,

? In the “Mythology and Symbols” session, symbolic narratives in contemporary art,

? In the “Ancient Libraries and Philosophy” panel, the formation of cultural memory will be discussed.

 Workshops on screenwriting and special events for young filmmakers are also included in the program.

New Book: “What Does Mythology Say to Today?”

Within the scope of the festival, a collective book titled “What Does Mythology Say to Today?”, prepared with an interdisciplinary perspective, will meet readers for the first time this year. In the work, which addresses the relationship between the mythological heritage extending from Anatolia to Mesopotamia and contemporary culture, names such as Prof. Dr. Akın Ersoy, Prof. Dr. Metin Ekici, Özlem Ertan, and Rahmi Aydemir discuss mythology through archaeology, literature, cinema, and folk culture.