One of the auteur directors of cinema, Reha Erdem is widely appreciated by film lovers because of his unique expressive style. By portraying landscapes integrated with nature in his films onto the silver screen, Erdem is now introducing his latest film "Neandreia" (Neandria) to the audience. Premiering at the 39th Warsaw Film Festival in October 2023, “Neandreia” stands out as Türkiye's first eco-friendly production in ecological terms.

Deniz İlhan, Gizem Katmer, Neandreia, 2023.

The film was shot in the ancient city of Neandreia, in the village of Kayacık in Çanakkale. It was developed with proactive solutions addressing environmental issues in every aspect, from the materials used on set to transportation, accommodation, and costumes. Sharing the news about the film and the sustainable approach they follow step by step with their followers on social media accounts, the team saved 3,600 liters of diesel fuel by not using generators during the production process, for instance. Thanks to that, they prevented 9.5 tons of CO₂ emissions. Avoiding any "disposable" materials such as plastic plates and cups, the team prevented the use of nearly 7,200 plastic bottles on average. Without using any printed paper even for the script, the team continued their shooting by importing all documents digitally. In addition, they sought support from the local village community by cooking eco-friendly meals for the crew and shared the costumes and decor used in the film with the villagers.

Neandreia, Footage from Film, 2023.

“Neandreia” is based on the story of a young girl named Suna who prepares for athletics. Observing how life has changed after the arrival of the new imam at the village, the film also shows the rebellion of young people who are trapped in a sick world of competition, hunting, and the desire to win, seeking freedom and love within its cracks. The film, in which we’ll see Deniz İlhan portraying the role of Suna in her debut movie acting experience, also features other cast members including Ahmet Rıfat Şungar, Bülent Emin Yarar, İnci Nur Daşdemir, Nihal Yalçın, Izzy, Nur Fettahoğlu, Serkan Keskin, Gizem Katmer, Ayşegül Kopartan, and Tanıl Bora.

Produced by Ömer Atay and Serra Ciliv, “Neandreia”s executive production is led by Kaan Mestut, and sustainable production is led by Kiraz Erdem. Written, directed, edited, and sound designed by Reha Erdem, the film’s director of photography is led by Florent Herry, known for his works in films including “Kaç Para Kaç” (Run For Money) (1999), “Korkuyorum Anne” (Mommy, I’m Scared) (2004), “Beş Vakit” (Times and Winds) (2006), “Kosmos” (Cosmos) (2009), “Jîn” (2013), “Şarkı Söyleyen Kadınlar” (Singing Women) (2013), and “Koca Dünya” (Big Big World) (2016). The film’s assistant director is Deniz Tortum, the sound designers are Herve Guyader and Furkan Atlı, the art director is Peri Okan, the costume designer is Merve Ertan, and the composer is Alican Çamcı.

The eco-friendly set environment of “Neandreia”, introduced as an “ecologically sustainable film production”, is also planned to be produced as a documentary film under the direction of Selin Bonfil.

You can get up-to-date information about “Neandreia” on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts.