‘Festival on Wheels’ brings AI innovations, Hollywood classics to Ankara

ANKARA

Gezici Festival, widely known as the Festival on Wheels, will bring an innovative blend of artificial intelligence and New Hollywood classics to audiences from Nov. 1 to 3.

Set to take place at Kült Kavaklıdere, the festival explores AI’s role in creative industries, while also reviving films from a transformative era in American cinema.

On Nov. 2 at 1 p.m., a curated selection of 12 short films crafted with AI will be screened, exploring how AI reshapes storytelling and production. The films, selected by Alkan Avcıoğlu and Viki Bardot, represent the first wave of AI-driven cinematic language, illustrating the potential of generative AI in redefining art.

Following the screenings, the “New Directions in Artistic Production” panel will delve into AI’s impact on the visual arts, with experts Kyle Steinfield and Onur Yüce Gün addressing AI’s creative potential, originality challenges and rights issues.

Highlighting American cinema’s groundbreaking New Hollywood era (1960s-1980s), the festival will showcase six iconic films that broke social and artistic conventions.

Sydney Pollack’s "They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?," an intense portrayal of the Great Depression and its toll on the American spirit, screens on Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. Later, Mike Nichols’ Oscar-winning drama, "The Graduate," featuring Dustin Hoffman’s breakout role and exploring themes of self-discovery and disillusionment in 1960s America, will screen at 8 p.m.

On Nov. 2, Arthur Penn’s raw exploration of small-town prejudice and justice “The Chase,” starring Marlon Brando and Jane Fonda, will be shown at 5 p.m. Later, the screening of Martin Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver” will take place at 8 p.m.. The film is an acclaimed psychological thriller on urban decay and paranoia, led by Robert De Niro’s iconic performance.

“Scarecrow,” Jerry Schatzberg’s journey across America with Al Pacino and Gene Hackman, depicting camaraderie and shattered dreams, will screen on Nov. 3 at 5 p.m.

The screening of Dennis Hopper’s countercultural classic about freedom and rebellion, “Easy Rider,” recognized by Time magazine as a seminal film, will take place at 8 p.m.

The “New Hollywood” selection will also be available in Istanbul at Sinematek/Sinema Evi, beginning Oct. 27 and running until Jan. 31, 2025, with a 15-film special program.