BIR

The Gezi protests in Turkey are a wave of demonstrations and civil unrest in Turkey, which began on 28 May 2013, initially to contest the urban development plan for Istanbul’s Taksim Gezi Park. Subsequently, supporting protests and strikes took place across Turkey protesting a wide range of concerns, at the core of which were issues of freedom of the press, of expression, assembly, and the government’s encroachment on Turkey’s secular­ism. 3.5 million of Turkey’s 80 million inhabitants are estimated to have taken an active part in almost 5,000 demonstrations across Turkey connected with the original Gezi Park protest. 11 people were killed and more than 8,000 were injured, many critically. The film aims to document the protests with interviews from the park.

Trailer

Director

MUMIN BARIS was born in Bulgaria and immigrated with his family to Istanbul at the age of seven. After studying Environmental Engineering in Istanbul, he studied at the renowned FAMU film school in Prague and at King’s College in London. His films include: VERGÜENZA (short, 2009), DIE BLAUE IDENTITÄT (short doc, 2012), and ONE (doc, 2015). He is currently working on several other documentary projects.

Mumin Baris photos © Mumin Baris