Boats Out of Watermelon Rinds (Karpuz Kabuğundan Gemiler Yapmak)

Boats Out of Watermelon Rinds is a Turkish film written and directed by Ahmet Uluçay, released in 2004 and drawing on episodes from the director's own life. Uluçay's first feature, it was completed in 2001 but only reached audiences three years later, blending drama and comedy with a poetic, naturalistic style.

The story follows two cinema-obsessed boys in the village of Tepecik in the 1960s. During the summer they apprentice in the nearby town of Tavşanlı, Recep for a watermelon seller and Mehmet for a barber. By night, in an abandoned barn, they try to build a makeshift film projector and dream of becoming directors; their only supporter is the village eccentric Ömer. When Recep falls in love with Nezihe, the two boys live through a summer they will never forget. The film features no famous actors, and Uluçay himself appears as the barber. The cast includes İsmail Hakkı Taslak, Kadir Kaymaz, Gülayşe Erkoç and Boncuk Yılmaz.