Porn Across the Aegean presented by Yavuz Kurtulmus & Menelas Siafakas

by Porn Film Festival Vienna

Welcome to a double screening of the latest film of two directors who should in a geopolitical sense not be friends. Each director presenting a film infused with essential flavours of their respective countries. Two countries on opposite sides of the Aegean Sea, each supposedly representing very different things: East vs. West, Europe vs. Asia, Muslim faith vs. Christianity, Logic vs. Mysticism. What we might discover though, is that there are many more similarities hidden in human desire than differences.

This screening is the result of a supportive and collaborative friendship between Yavuz Kurtulmus and Menelas Siafakas. When Yavuz expressed his concerns about actualizing his ambition to run a porn film festival in Istanbul due to the political situation Menelas offered to host a screening of Turkish productions in Athens. Indeed, during the Athenian Porn Film Festival in June 2023 a fine selection of the Porn Film Festival Istanbul was presented. This gave birth to the Aegean Porn Alliance which is a project that expresses their solidarity and commitment against political or other systems that prohibit the freedom of sexuality and
sexual expression. The project’s objective is helping the creation of porn films from their respective countries in all levels of production and of course distribution opportunities.

This double screening is the next logical step taking a more personal approach presenting their own movies together to emphasize their belief of the ancient Greek saying «η ἰσχύς ἐν τῇ ἐνώσει» or in more contemporary form #bettertogether.

Turkish Hammam (Dir. Yavuz Kurtulmus) – Turkish Hammam is a poignant, erotic tale of forbidden love between two men set against the bustling backdrop of Istanbul’s traditional hammams. The film delves into the challenges of a relationship suppressed by societal prejudices, yet held together by the universal forces of love and attraction. Told through furtive glances and quiet moments, this narrative transcends physical intimacy, speaking through the silence of its characters. In a world where male love often sparks fear and discrimination, „Turkish Hammam“ seeks solace in the hammams‘ quiet comforts, reminding us that attraction knows no bounds. This story of two men from different worlds, Vienna and Istanbul, employs silence to depict a universal connection, unfolding a romance steeped in tenderness and unspoken understanding.

Ikaros Reborn (Dir. Menelas) – In this poetic retelling of the myth of Ikaros, creators Menelas and The Peacock give us a different interpretation to the story and a much happier ending. Shot on location in Ikaria Island, this ancient cautionary tale about the hubris of youth becomes a BDSM love story.