Private Project

Peaks of Belonging

Peaks of Belonging is a visual poem that explores the journey of belonging through nature’s rhythm and movement. Directed by Elif Koyutürk and Aly Arnold, the film follows Elif, a Turkish immigrant artist, as she moves through the rugged landscapes of Oregon and Washington. The film delves into belonging not as a fixed place, but as a felt experience in motion, using rich symbolism—rivers, mountains, braids, and dervish-like movement—to explore the deep connection between identity, nature, and home. Peaks of Belonging is a reflection of the inner journey to find home, not in a location, but in the act of being.

  • Elif Koyutürk Hazen
    Director
  • Aly Arnold
    Director
  • Elif Koyutürk Hazen
    Writer
  • Aly Arnold
    Director of Photography
  • Elif Koyutürk Hazen
    Producer
  • Aly Arnold
    Producer
  • Elif Koyutürk Hazen
    Key Cast
    "Elif"
  • Ghiya Rushnidat
    Composer
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Aidiyetin Zirveleri
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes 9 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 23, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English, Turkish
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • 5 Point Adventure Film Festival
    Colorado
    United States
    April 26, 2025
    STIO Grant Winner
Director Biography - Elif Koyutürk Hazen, Aly Arnold

Elif Koyutürk Hazen is an award-winning filmmaker and visual artist originally from Istanbul, Turkey, now based in Bend, Oregon. Her work explores identity, belonging, and the human connection to nature. With a unique, raw storytelling style, Elif’s films highlight the intersection of migration, culture, and tradition. As an immigrant, she uses film as a way to explore what it means to belong in a world defined by borders, with her works earning international recognition. Peaks of Belonging marks her continued exploration of self, movement, and nature.

Aly Arnold is a filmmaker and cinematographer known for her cinematic storytelling and documentary work. Based in the Columbia River Gorge, Aly’s films explore human connection, adventure, and environmentalism, with a focus on truth and discovery. Having filmed changemakers across the globe, from Africa to Chile, her work spans commercials and documentaries. Aly has received multiple awards and grants, including the 5Point Film Festival’s Spirit of Adventure Award. When not filming, she’s passionate about adventure sports and spending time with her family.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

"There were years when I couldn’t hold my family, years of silence where the touch of my mother, father, and brother was only felt in the rivers, in the vast mountains, and in the soft gaze of an animal. As a filmmaker, I traveled the world, seeking to tell stories that illuminate what’s fading—cultures, traditions, and the deep connections that bind us all.
But to do this, I had to leave my homeland and find a way to voice its essence. In foreign lands, I always felt like an outsider, as though I didn’t belong. Yet in nature, I found the truth of my being. In the wild, I felt my mother’s presence, the earth's nurturing touch, and there I was embraced, as I am, without question. So, I continued, creating in this space, in this belonging.
This film is my thank you to the wild. A tribute to the land that accepted me, a journey of belonging in motion, captured in poetry and image. It’s the story of finding home, not in a place, but in the movement of nature itself—where I simply belong." - Elif Koyutürk Hazen