Kült Kavaklıdere is a cultural landmark that reimagines the former Kavaklıdere Cinema, which has been closed since 2007, while preserving a deep connection to Ankara’s cultural history. Since June 2023, it has served as a vibrant meeting point for interpersonal and interdisciplinary dialogue, hosting a wide range of events and seeking to strengthen the city’s cultural fabric while fostering community engagement.

In this conversation, Kült Kavaklıdere’s event coordinator Okan İlhan and programmer İlhan Kaya reflect on the venue’s history, its significance within the city, and shaping its future.

Could you introduce Kült Kavaklıdere and tell us a little about its history? 

Kült Kavaklıdere is an independent cultural venue centred around the reopening of the historic Kavaklıdere Cinema, which has been closed since 2007. The story of the cinema, however, stretches much further back. Originally designed by the architect Nejat Tekelioğlu as an apartment building with 17 flats and two basement floors, the building later underwent a transformation when one of its basement levels was redesigned as a cinema, becoming one of the notable examples of the “cinema apartment” concept in Türkiye.

The cinema officially opened on 7 April 1968 and began screenings the following day with the film Hürriyet Fedaileri. With its single auditorium accommodating approximately 750-800 people, it operated continuously between 1968 and 1985. After screening An Officer and a Gentleman on 7 January 1985, the cinema temporarily closed its doors. It reopened on 25 September 1991 with an opening cocktail reception. During this period of closure, the original hall was divided into four separate screening rooms. Today, Kült Kavaklıdere continues its activities within this four-hall structure.

Despite the many transformations within the film industry, Kavaklıdere Cinema continued operating until 2007 and secured an important place in Ankara’s cultural memory. 

How did you start with your initiative?

Before beginning the renovation process, we organised an event titled “Once Upon a Time Kavaklıdere: Let’s Meet at the Cinema” on 15-16 April 2023. The aim was to experience the cinema’s historic atmosphere, preserved since 2007, one final time before reopening, while reconnecting audiences with the venue itself. 

Although we had already started organising various screenings and events by July 2023, our regular film programme began in December of that year. The Kült Kavaklıdere project itself emerged through the initiatives of Şamil Yiğit Dereli. Through these efforts, the team came together and the story of Kült Kavaklıdere began.

Could you also tell us about its unique location?

The venue is located in Kavaklıdere, one of Ankara’s most central and historically layered districts. This location is important to us because it naturally connects the venue with different social groups, universities, cultural institutions, and the rhythms of everyday urban life. We never wanted to create an isolated cultural island; our relationship with the street and the surrounding neighbourhood has always been central to our thinking.

What kinds of transformations have you undertaken in the physical space? 

Our approach has been guided by the desire to preserve the memory of the cinema while adapting it to contemporary cultural needs. Rather than radically altering the architecture, we focused on improving the venue’s technical and functional capacities while maintaining its identity and atmosphere.

While preserving the structural form of the building as much as possible, we completely renewed the infrastructure, particularly the electrical and plumbing systems. At present, we have a 185-seat cinema hall, an 80-seat multi-purpose hall, and a stage area with seating for 150 people and standing capacity for 250. Work on reopening our fourth hall is still ongoing.

How would you describe the venue to someone who has never visited?

To someone who has never visited, we would describe Kült Kavaklıdere as a hybrid space: a venue that preserves the atmosphere of a historic cinema while functioning as an interdisciplinary cultural centre.

I read on your website that you are reclaiming the original entrance after 19 years. Could you tell us more about this? Why is it important?

Kavaklıdere Cinema originally had an iconic entrance directly connected to the street. Visitors entering through the arcade would encounter, at the end of the corridor, a wooden ticket booth that remained unchanged for many years and became deeply embedded in the city’s collective memory.

Before the reopening of the cinema, the main entrance facing the avenue was divided and rented to a cosmetics company. The final section of the long entrance corridor was sealed off and converted into a boutique store. The store closed in 2026, and through the initiatives of the Kült team, the closed section was reintegrated into the cinema. In this way, we were able to reclaim the original entrance. Renovation work is currently ongoing, and we hope to reopen it very soon.

What are your programming strategies? 

Alongside our collaborations with local film distributors, we try to increase the diversity of our programme by developing as many different partnerships as possible. Both mainstream films and arthouse productions find a place within our programme, and we also try to create space for independent filmmakers whenever possible. Diversifying screenings and cultivating different viewing experiences are among our primary aims.

At the same time, Kült Kavaklıdere has gradually begun hosting festivals in Ankara once again. Increasing the number of film festivals taking place in the city is also among our long-term goals.

Can you please tell us about your concept of collaborative programming? How does it work for you?

Our collaborations with embassies allow us to present examples from world cinema, while we also strive to create as much space as possible for programmes developed by independent curators and initiatives. We believe that collaborative programming is one of the most effective ways to increase diversity and encounter new perspectives. For this reason, we value working together with institutions and collectives that share similar aims.

Locally, we have already developed various initiatives and collaborations in this regard. Through our international connections, we also hope to continue exploring new programmes and forms of cultural production.

Can you tell us about your strategies of “how we show this without drawing attention to ourselves”?

These kinds of approaches generally emerge around specific events. Since the partners we collaborate with in such cases are already experienced in these matters, we are usually able to establish a shared understanding. Announcements for these events are often circulated through invitations or closed groups.

I came across several compelling seminars and talks on your page, such as “Seeing Violence.” How do you initiate and organise these events?

At Kült Kavaklıdere, we try to maintain diversity across all of our activities. Educational events, seminars, and panels form an important part of this ecosystem because they create spaces for discussion and collective reflection.

To develop these events, we reach out to specialists in their respective fields and discuss what might be meaningful around both current and broader social questions. Over time, these discussions evolve into seminars, panels, forums, and educational programmes. The fact that the Kült team itself comes from a range of different disciplines also contributes greatly to this diversity.

Could you tell us about your team? 

Having worked together for many years, our team has developed a strong internal communication structure. Clearly defined responsibilities, the ability to organise quickly under extraordinary circumstances, and the shared experience of building a venue together have all contributed to a highly efficient communication network.

Kült operates with a relatively small but extremely coordinated team. Since the venue hosts many different kinds of events simultaneously, communication and operational coordination are especially important for us.

What is the composition of your audience?

Our audience is remarkably diverse. Students, academics, artists, young professionals, and people who have been engaged with cinema for many years all form part of this community. The diversity of our events also plays a significant role in shaping this broad audience profile.

Could you speak about your sources of income and your financial model?

Our financial model is based on ticket sales, venue usage, collaborations, and partnerships. Beyond these sources of revenue, we currently do not receive additional support. Our efforts to diversify income streams and establish a more self-sustaining structure are still ongoing.

How do you situate Kült Kavaklıdere within the broader cultural landscape? 

We see Kült Kavaklıdere as part of a broader effort to reimagine cultural spaces not simply as venues for artistic presentation, but as places of encounter, exchange, and collective experience. Bringing together different disciplines – theatre, stand-up comedy, concerts, exhibitions, talks, and workshops – allows the space to remain active throughout the day and to engage communities with different interests and cultural habits. In this sense, we do not see these practices as separate from cinema, but rather as extensions of the social and cultural ecosystem surrounding it.

One of the most striking observations for us has been the extent to which audiences increasingly respond to cultural venues as social environments rather than merely event-based destinations. People are often searching for spaces where they can spend time before and after events, encounter others, and feel part of a community. Especially at a moment when much film consumption has shifted towards digital and individual experiences, we believe cinema audiences are seeking something beyond simply watching a film. Q&As, discussions, interdisciplinary events, and shared physical experiences all seem to deepen people’s relationship both with cinema itself and with the venue as a social space.

Do you collaborate with other initiatives in the region?

Yes, collaboration is a central part of the way we work. We regularly collaborate with independent collectives, cultural institutions, universities, filmmakers, and local initiatives. Since there are very few gathering spaces like Kült Kavaklıdere in Ankara, we also try to make our spaces available as widely as possible. Through regular monthly open calls, we offer some of our halls free of charge for public use. This not only supports creative production, but also enables us to connect with local initiatives more directly.

In what ways do you think Kült Kavaklıdere functions as a cinema of commoning?

We believe Kült Kavaklıdere functions as a space of commoning by creating opportunities not only for the consumption of culture, but also for its collective production and sharing. Through two separate open calls, we provide two of our spaces free of charge: one for talks, gatherings, and public events, and another for actors and theatre initiatives to use as rehearsal space. Non-profit initiatives are able to benefit from these spaces without commercial expectation, enabling communities to come together, collaborate, and build relationships with the venue through production rather than consumption.

At the same time, Kült Kavaklıdere brings together people from different disciplines and interests — cinema, theatre, visual arts, and social sciences — creating encounters between diverse communities. We also see the venue as a place that preserves and continuously nourishes cultural memory. The feedback we receive from audiences and participants suggests that people are able to form genuine emotional connections with the space; seeing others who share similar interests strengthens both their attachment to the venue and their relationships with one another, transforming cinema into a social and collective experience rather than merely a screen-based one.

Okan İlhan works as an event coordinator at Kült Kavaklıdere, where he designs and oversees film programmes, screenings, talks, and interdisciplinary cultural events, including workshops, presentations, and seminars. While his programming practice primarily centres on studio films, he also has experience with independent productions. As of May 2026, he has handed over his responsibilities for film programme production at Kült Kavaklıdere. He continues to contribute to cultural production processes in Ankara on behalf of Kült, focusing on developing collaborations with local and international institutions. His primary responsibility has been ensuring the coordination and operational flow of events hosted by Kült Kavaklıdere.

İlhan Kaya is a director, cinematographer, photographer, and editor. He holds a BFA from the Photography and Video Department at Gazi University (2014-2019). Working primarily within documentary cinema, İlhan combines storytelling, editing, and photographic visual practices in his work. He is also a co-founder of the independent cinema initiative Vizyonsuz, and since April 2026 has been responsible for film programming.