People may say, home is where you were born or where your family is. But for me home is where I feel safe and free. Home is where I can be myself.

"Packing and traveling are nice things. If only you were going on vacation..." "Portmanteau" was completed by Hande Zerkin at Remapping Europe Istanbul Atelier. Remapping Europe project is an investigative arts project that aims to contribute to an inclusive cultural practice and a new imagery in and of Europe by connecting young creative media-makers and artists living in Spain, Poland, Turkey and the UK, who have migrant perspectives, to wider European inter-generational audiences. The project involves creating new methods for expanded education, workshops for creative media-makers, a free-use media collection, a research publication and a seminar. Remapping Europe is a project of Doc Next Network, an international partnership of independent cultural organizations working with young people, supporting their documentary and other media productions; its partner is MODE Istanbul in Turkey. Through its efforts, Doc Next seeks to redefine “documentary” and to create a link between the traditional media and the constantly developing world of free culture. To this end, the activities of Remapping Europe stem from one underlying principle: re-mixing of media as a method to re-view, re-investigate and re-consider prevailing imagery of migrants in European societies; ultimately, to ‘re-map’ Europe visually, geographically and mentally. An important result of the project is the archival and creative exposure of present-day perspectives of young (future) citizens on migration, as captured in creative media. It contributes to the European cultural heritage and is a future point of reference in our collective memory.

This remix was made for Nordic CC Film Festival REmix Competition

When I first came to Mytilene fort he first time, I was impressed by the graffiti and writings on the walls. I didn’t spead Greek, but they were pretty spectacular. They made me feel as if they were crying out to be read, understood, recorded and repeated. I couldn’t stop myself, and shot and recorded them all. Anyway, the Street is the beginning of everything, isn’t it? Riots, wars, lives… Erciyes Film Festival, Finalist: I Missed the Bus, 2013, Turkey 66. Cannes Film Festival, Turkish Stand Section: I Missed the Bus, 2013 I. Talas Culture and Art Festival, Documentary Contest, Finalist, 2013, Turkey Tübingen Medien Festival, Screening: I Missed the Bus, 2013 – Germany 5. Leden International Short Film Experience, Offical Competition, 2013, Netherlands