Sultan YAVUZ – Funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the Association of Journalists “Media for Democracy/Democracy for Media Programme” (M4D) hosted a talk on “Wildlife Documentary” by Ece Soydam. Soydam’s documentary “67 49 32 North” was viewed at the Press House and was followed by a Q&A.

Prior to the showing of the documentary, M4D Project Assistant Coordinator Seva Ülman gave brief biographical information about Soydam. Ülman remarked that Soydam has been given many awards for her documentaries.
Ülman added that in addition to filming documentaries Soydam is also the translator of two books about Native Americans and has lectured at Bilkent University on the subject. Ülman said:
“Born in Ankara, Ece Soydam attended TED Ankara College and then graduated from ODTÜ English Teaching Department. After working in the Directorate of Documentaries in Ankara Television, Soydam then worked for the Foreign Affairs Department of TRT and then became co-producer for CNN World Report. Soydam completed a master’s defree in socio-cultural anthropology at Toront University, Canada between 1996-1998. In 2000, she received training at the Santa Fe Anthropology Film Center. She is the recipient of İsmail Cem TV “Best Documentary Award”, Second Place in the French Ornithology Environment Awards, Finalist of Nature Film Festival in China, Viewer’s Choice Award at Film Animalier France and Best Documentary at the Radyo TV Journalists’ Association 29. TV Oscars.”
In her talk, Soydam said “We generally make documentaries about wildlife, wildlife in Turkey, but in this project, we made a documentary in the North Pole region of Canada. Our documentary focused on the people as well as the wildlife; we felt that it would be disrespectful to the people, culture and way-of-life if we only focused on the wildlife. We brought together the story of a man and nature.”
 

67 49 32 North
Produced by TRT and filmed in the northern regions of Canada, “67 49 32 North” is set in Kugluktuk whose majority is comprised of the Inuit people. Wild-life biologist and French national Mathieu Dumond has called the town “his home” for the last 17 years where he lives with his wife and 5-year-old son, and films wild-life. Mathieu’s story tells us about the threat the region’s natural life and culture faces. Directed by Ece Soydam and Mathieu Dumond, the documentary provides its audience with a 55-minute-long visual festival.