To Carry a Homeland

– Doc

Shot 2025 in Istanbul. Currently in Postproduction.

With This Project we tell the story of a people who have lost their homeland yet keep their culture vibrantly alive.

The Uyghur people originate from East Turkestan, a region officially known today as Xinjiang. Their music, language, and customs are rich and centuries-old; yet they face systematic suppression in their homeland. Forced to flee, many have found a new sense of community in Istanbul. Here, they have created spaces where memories, festivals, and rituals are cherished and passed down to the next generation.

Our project documents daily life of Exile in Istanbul. These scenes tell a story of loss, but also of hope and solidarity. This project is a visual exploration of a community that refuses to be silenced, aiming to serve as a testament to human rights and cultural diversity.

 

TRAILER

photo report & fundraising imagery

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photo report & fundraising imagery *

A group of four children standing in a greenhouse, with one child in the foreground and three children smiling in the background, with natural light coming through the plastic covering of the greenhouse.
A young boy in a Galatasaray football jersey points to a map of Afghanistan on a classroom wall.
A young girl in a white hijab and patterned red and white outfit sitting on a cushion in a dimly lit room with traditional decor.
A man with a white beard and wearing a white cap and shirt is in the foreground with his head bowed. Behind him, a young girl in a pink headscarf and white dress looks directly at the camera with hands clasped. Next to her, a boy with dark hair in a
A young boy stands on a rooftop balcony near cushions and carpets, with a mosque's minarets in the background during dusk.
An older man working in a woodworking shop, using a saw on a piece of wood, surrounded by tools, books, and musical instruments in a cluttered workshop.
An older man with gray hair and a beard working in a cluttered woodworking workshop, shaping a piece of wood.
Close-up of a person's hand operating a cordless drill on a wooden workbench, surrounded by tools and materials in a workshop.
A man with dark hair wearing a striped shirt, holding a smartphone in one hand and a cigarette in the other, standing in front of a red curtain, with shadows cast on his face.
View through a doorway into a room filled with books and papers, with a person sitting at a desk reading.
A young man is playing an electric guitar, with a focus on the instrument and his face in a dimly lit room.
Man sitting on a sofa in a room with patterned curtains, Turkish flag artwork, and a glass table with a lamp.
A person sitting in prayer in a mosque, facing a large green and black tiled mihrab with hexagonal windows on both sides, and hanging lights above.
A boy lying on a bed, looking towards the camera, seen through a partially open door in a dimly lit room.
A middle-aged man with a gray beard, wearing a white cap and white shirt, with his eyes closed, appears to be praying or in deep thought outdoors.
A cozy home office with built-in wooden bookshelves filled with colorful books, a large window letting in natural light, a curved desk, and three black office chairs.
Children wearing hijabs standing outside a school window, some eating snacks and looking inside.
A young child standing in a living room, holding a pinwheel, wearing a colorful dress and a patterned hat, with a sofa, bookshelf, and curtains visible in the background.
Two children wearing head coverings work inside a greenhouse with plastic sheeting overhead, tending to plants or crops.
A woman and a child standing outside a small building at night, with a full moon visible in the sky. The woman is wearing a headscarf and colorful pajamas, and the child is wearing a hat and light-colored clothing. A cat is sitting on the ground near
A large prayer room with stained glass windows and patterned walls, divided by a central white column. Two individuals sit silently by the windows, one on the left and one on a small stool on the right.
A man in the foreground holding a plastic bag and a rolled-up item, looking at a woman standing outside near a building with large windows. It is nighttime, and the scene is dimly lit.
A young girl wearing a white hijab and a beige jacket standing in front of a blue background with a star design.
A classroom with open window letting in light, white desks and chairs, a map on the wall, and a radiator under the window.
Two young children sitting on stairs against a blue wall inside a home, with one girl in front holding snacks and an older boy behind holding a card.
A woman wearing a hijab sitting alone on a row of empty chairs in a waiting area, looking at her phone, with lockers behind her.
Nighttime scene of a small mosque with a person sitting on a bench in front, Turkish flags, and a street with a few pedestrians.

Team.

 

Producer & Director: Melda Ahmetoglu, Director: Franziska Heinemann, Producer & Best Boy: Ufuk Ahmetoglu, Director of Photography: Manuel Tröndle, Edit: Marco Riedl, Producer & Photographer: Alexander Draheim, Music: Achim Gössl, Sound: Nikolaus Böll, Translation: Cemal Ucatlı, Mukaddes Ali

A man wearing a chef's hat crouches down, smiling at a cat sitting on the wooden floor, with another cat partially visible in the foreground.
Group of seven people posing together indoors, including a man with a camera kneeling in front. Four women and two men stand behind, with different expressions, in a casual setting.
Four people stand together in a building with stone arches, two others are in the background, one adjusting equipment.
Two men smiling at night, one carrying a large camera crane on their shoulder, in front of a building with arched entryways and a brick facade.
Two children inside a building looking through glass door at a camera outside. One girl is wearing a pink dress and has a napkin wrapped around her head, holding her face with her hands. The other girl is wearing a black and white dress, holding a lo
Two people standing together at night, smiling and showing peace signs. The woman on the left is wearing glasses and has long dark hair. The man on the right has facial hair, is wearing a bucket hat, a light-colored T-shirt, and has a camera hanging
Group of eight young adults smiling at night by a water body with city lights in the background, some people making thumbs up gestures, one person holding a camera, all dressed casually.

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