Urla to host gastronomy and film festival on the same table

İZMİR

The Aegean town of Urla, renowned for its fertile land, rich culinary heritage and innovative chefs, will host the first International Urla Gastronomy Film Festival from May 23 to 25, combining the storytelling power of cinema with the art of gastronomy.

Held under the theme “From the Table to the Silver Screen,” the festival will offer more than just film screenings. The program includes culinary workshops, tasting events, panel discussions and expert meetups, all centered around the intersection of food and film.

Festival director Gülper Ergün, who has 21 years of experience in the industry, told the state-run Anadolu Agency that their goal is to make Turkish gastronomy more visible on the global stage through cinema.

“Gastronomy film festivals have become a cultural and tourism tool around the world,” Ergün said. “San Sebastián leads the way in this field. Countries like France, Italy and Greece have been organizing such festivals for years. They conquered the world with their pizzas and pastas. We don’t want to see 'Turkish-style pizza' written above our lahmacun abroad. We asked ourselves if we could contribute, even just a little, to changing that perception.”

“There is no good gastronomy without good agriculture,” Ergün noted, adding that Urla was selected as the host city due to its strong agricultural foundation and recent rise in culinary reputation.

Home to Michelin-starred restaurants and a vibrant culinary scene, Urla embodies the values the festival seeks to highlight.

“The Aegean region has fertile lands. We need to raise awareness about supporting agriculture,” Ergün said. “Our chefs in Urla have made remarkable contributions over the years. When combined with the region’s agricultural potential, it becomes something truly valuable. Türkiye is an incredibly rich country when it comes to gastronomy, with hundreds of unique flavors across its seven regions. Many important efforts are already underway. We are now asking: How can we strengthen the cinematic side of this story?”

Ergün stated that the festival embraces Urla’s local producers and chefs. “No initiative is sustainable without local engagement. That’s why we’re working closely with civil society organizations and prioritizing local participation,” he said.

Program highlights

The festival aims to appeal not only to film lovers but also to food enthusiasts. Alongside film screenings, the program includes chef-led panels, student workshops, tasting events and discussions with professionals from both the gastronomy and film worlds.

Highlights include a screening of Feyza’s Kitchen and a talk titled “A Contemporary Perspective on Peninsula Cuisine” by chef Serkan Anavatan. The documentary “Digesting Sustainability” will make its world premiere at the festival.

Director and screenwriter Ezel Akay, chef İsmet Gecikmiş and writer Handan Kaygusuzer will take part in a session called “Stories from Tradesmen’s Eateries.” Director Serdar Akar, actors Güven Kıraç and Erkan Can, director Vedat Atasoy and restaurant operator Ebru Korali will join a panel titled “Kitchens in the Leading Role.” Actor and author Ercan Kesal, gastronomy educator Levon Bağış and Ceylan Ertörer Diaz will appear in “Side Roads and Encounters.”

Professor İsmail Ertürk from the University of Manchester and chef Ahmet Güzelyağdöken will discuss the intersection of art, economics and food culture. A photography exhibition by Ebru Ceylan will also be on view throughout the three-day event.

In addition, international chefs visiting the region will conduct research on local edible herbs and share their findings with the public in the form of comprehensive reports.