The Allure of Wood traces the tradition of wooden building in the Black-Sea province of Kastamonu. Here, timber architecture represents the embodiment of provincial cultural heritage, from mansions and village houses to the gümeles in the vineyards of Tosya. But despite official edicts designed to support preservation, the region’s abandoned structures are rapidly disintegrating. What can be done in the face of the shortage of skilled craftsmen and a lack of financial resources? Director Ersoy Soydan’s documentary argues that in order for these structures to truly survive, life must continue within them, and this requires cultural knowledge and collective stewardship.

Ersoy Soydan

Ersoy Soydan received his Bachelor’s Degree from the Istanbul University Faculty of Communication’s Department of Journalism and Public Relations, his Master’s Degree from the Marmara University Institute of Social Sciences’ Department of Radio, Television and Cinema, and his PhD from the Istanbul University Institute of Social Sciences’ Department of Radio, Television and Cinema. In 2019, he was awarded the title of Associate Professor in the field of Journalism and Media Studies. Ersoydan embarked on his academic career in 2011 after many years in the publishing sector. He is the founding head of the Kastamonu University Faculty of Communication’s Department of Radio, Television and Cinema and organizer of the first film festivals in Kastamonu, including the Kastamonu leg of the Travelling Film Festival, which he coordinated for nine years together with a student club he founded. In 2019, he founded the Altın Portakal Cinema School, which was organized for the first time within the scope of the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, and served as its director for four years.