‘Village of Ballets’ most awarded short documentary of 2025

NİĞDE

The short documentary “Baletler Köyü” (Village of Ballets), directed by Professor Fatih Diren, a faculty member at Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, became the most awarded short documentary of the 2025 film season, winning a total of 15 awards at national and international festivals.

Telling the extraordinary story of Başpınar village in Çorum, the documentary also reached a wide international audience after being screened at 25 different festivals. Focusing on the real-life stories of 13 ballet dancers who rose from a small Anatolian village to the stages of the State Opera and Ballet, the film has quickly gained international recognition.

Award and screening statistics related to the film were compiled by researcher Hayri Çölaşan.

Highlighting how art can offer a path forward despite poverty, social prejudice and hardship, the documentary has emerged as one of the most successful short documentaries of 2025.

Among its achievements, “Baletler Köyü” received an Honor Award at the Greece International Film Festival and won Best Short Documentary at the Macedonia Art Film Festival. It was also awarded Best Short Documentary at the 26th International Golden Saffron Documentary Film Festival, Best Film at Montenegro’s MOD Fest Podgorica and second prize in the documentary category at the Düzce Konuralp Film Festival.

Continuing its international festival journey, the film was selected for the official programs of the Cranford Film Festival, Authentic Global Film Awards and Emberlight International Film Festival in the United States, as well as the SEE Film Festival in France. It was also a finalist at the Tirana Mediterranean Film Festival in Albania.

Commenting on the strong interest in the film, director Fatih Diren said the documentary proved its power not only to represent Turkish cinema but also to bring sincere and inspiring stories from Anatolia to the world.

“The film made the names of Çorum, Başpınar village and our country known internationally,” Diren said. “Audiences in Russia asked, ‘Is this a true story?’ It really is a very interesting and striking story.”

The success of the documentary has also paved the way for a feature-length fiction project set in the same story universe. Diren said he aims to develop a dramatized feature film based on the real-life stories told in the documentary, adding that such a project would require substantial funding and producer support.