Banned film removed from Ankara Film Festival

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Turkish director Alp Zeki Heper’s film “Soluk Gecenin Aşk Hikayeleri” (Love Stories of the Pale Night), whose screening was banned in 1966 in Turkey and abroad, was removed from the program of the 23rd Ankara Film Festival that is kicking off tomorrow. The film was scheduled to be screened as part of a special program at the festival.

Heper gave his film to Professor Sami Şekeroğlu, to keep it in the archive of the Mimar Sinan Univesity Fine Arts Faculty 46 years ago. After Şekeroğlu’s retirement, the film was owned by the university.

Official of the 23rd Ankara International Film Festival got in touch with the Heper family and received necessary permission to screen the film. A copy of the film was prepared for the festival, but the film has since been removed from the program as one of Heper’s family members was not pleased with the decision.

The 23rd Ankara International Film Festival will open tomorrow with a “Midnight Cinema” program and continue until March 22.