Bocuk: An Ancient Ritual

Bocuk: An Ancient Ritual

18 mins | Documentary | March 12, 2026

“Bocuk” traces the remnants of a Balkan-Turkic belief said to date back to the Middle Ages, still alive in a remote village of Thrace. This docudrama explores the contemporary meaning of an ancient winter ritual and documents the local narratives surrounding it. Blending fear with tradition, the film invites viewers to discover the extraordinary Night of Bocuk, a practice still observed across generations in Turkey.

Bocuk: An Ancient Ritual

18 mins | Documentary | March 12, 2026

Bocuk: An Ancient Ritual
“Bocuk” traces the remnants of a Balkan-Turkic belief said to date back to the Middle Ages, still alive in a remote village of Thrace. This docudrama explores the contemporary meaning of an ancient winter ritual and documents the local narratives surrounding it. Blending fear with tradition, the film invites viewers to discover the extraordinary Night of Bocuk, a practice still observed across generations in Turkey.
Producers Amirler Film, BMA
Original title Bocuk: Kadim Bir Ritüel
Directors Hakan Karan, Buğra Mert Alkayalar
Writers

Cast

Ayşe Akbaş

as Self

Mezide Demirel

as Self

Nurten Tınmaz

as Self

Rıfat Çalgın

as Self

Tahir Demirel

as Self

İlker Savaşkurt

as Narrator (voice)