For over a decade, the Bozcaada International Festival of Ecological Documentary (BIFED) has championed environmental storytelling. Now entering its 12th edition, the festival is set to take place on the idyllic island of Bozcaada from 8–12 October 2025 continuing its tradition of showcasing powerful documentaries that explore nature, culture, and society.
BIFED is currently accepting documentary submissions filmed after 1 January 2021, with a deadline of 1 April 2025. Filmmakers can submit their entries via:
Competition Categories
- International Documentary Competition
- Fethi Kayaalp Award (First Prize)
- Madam Melpo Award (Second Prize)
- Idil Schneider-Bulut Music and Sound Design Award
- International Student Films Competition
- Naci Güçhan Student Award
In 2024, BIFED extended its presence beyond Bozcaada, holding screenings in La Rioja, Lemnos, and Gökçeada/Imbros. A milestone moment saw high school students from Gökçeada travel by a specially allocated ship to attend the festival in Bozcaada for the first time.
Additionally, BIFED documentaries found new audiences in venues such as Eskişehir Odunpazarı Modern Museum, the Gümüşlük International Music Festival, and Istanbul’s Beyoğlu Cinema.
BIFED’s main sponsor, KIA Turkey, was honoured with the Sustainability Award by the Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association (ODMD) for its environmental initiatives, including its work with The Ocean Cleanup project.
With an ever-growing international presence, BIFED remains local, small, and slow—yet deeply impactful, fostering critical ecological conversations through the art of documentary filmmaking.
