“I Am Where the Butterflies Sleep Art Days,” organized in collaboration with the Gökçeada Municipality and the Nusret Bey Foundation, met with art lovers for the first time on the island on September 22-23, 2025. The events, which started with a concert by the artist Ege, concluded with Nusret Bey Foundation programs, museum visits, an island tour, dance performances, and a film screening at the amphitheater.

Certificate of Honorary Citizenship
One of the meaningful moments of the Art Days was the presentation made in the name of Ceyhan Kandemir, the director of the internationally successful film “I Am Where the Butterflies Sleep,” which was shot in Gökçeada. Gökçeada Mayor Bülent Ecevit Atalay presented Kandemir with a “certificate of honorary citizenship” for her contributions to the promotion of the island. The ceremony emphasized the positive effects of cinema and art on community life.

The Emotional Finale of the “Karla” Trilogy
Kandemir described “I Am Where the Butterflies Sleep” as the final film of a trilogy. She explained that in the first film, “Karla,” they told the profound loneliness of a 9-year-old child and his father through puppet theater, and in the second film, “Stain of the Soul,” they dealt with themes such as loneliness and attachment syndrome brought about by post-pandemic digitalization. She stated that in this final film, they aimed to follow the question “Who am I?” of Karla, now a 14-year-old young girl, and to capture a more motivating, happiness-inducing language.

Gökçeada: The Transformation of Place into Story
Stating that the film’s name and score emerged before the filming location was chosen, Kandemir explained how they met with Gökçeada as follows: “While scouting for locations, we received an offer from Gökçeada. The spirit, nature, multicultural structure, and peace of this place were so suited to the metaphor of ‘where the butterflies sleep’… Someone who has lived on the island for 35 years said, ‘I haven’t found anything that expresses it so beautifully.’ The island was a symbol of peace and harmony for us.”

A Visual Feast: The Aesthetic Power of the Island
Agreeing with host Eylül Aşkın’s comment that “Every frame was like a painting,” she emphasized that this success was thanks to the work of cinematographer Ahmet Serdar Taş and the island’s natural beauty. She said they consciously built the film’s cinematography on wide shots, aiming to allow the audience to immerse themselves in the character’s emotion.

Academic Roots in Independent Cinema
Stating that combining theory and practice as an academic was a great advantage for her, Kandemir said, “We are making independent art; we have no commercial concerns. This provides us with a free production space. Translating our academic accumulation into practice with our team, from the screenwriter to the cinematographer, turns each film into a new experimental work.”

The Key to International Success: Nature and Psychology
Evaluating the factors behind the film’s success in winning awards at international festivals, Kandemir said that the juries were most impressed by Gökçeada’s fascinating nature and the psychological depth of the characters. She stated that they received reactions from international audiences like “Where is this place, we want to see it,” and that Karla’s inquisitive identity attracted interest.

Minimalist Cinema and Audience Perception
Kandemir expressed that she feels close to minimalist cinema and values natural sound, natural light, and natural actor direction. She also touched upon the Turkish audience’s fast consumption habits, saying, “There are scenes in our film that we intentionally left long. Our aim is to allow the audience to immerse themselves in the emotion. It’s like reading a novel. Unfortunately, fast consumption can cause some of our audience to disconnect from the film.”

The Father-Director Dilemma
Kandemir admitted that having her own daughter, Karla, play the lead role was “very difficult.” She shared the special challenges this experience brought her, saying, “As a father, you feel she can do better. But after all, she is 14 years old and growing up in the film kitchen.”

New Projects and Digital Details
Kandemir announced that audiences can follow her on the Instagram accounts Ceyhan Kandemir and Kelebeklerin Uyuduğu Yerdeyim. She added that they will continue to produce new projects and quality documentaries through the independent documentary film festival and platform named Dijital Detaylar, of which she is the founder.