Lineup of 37th Istanbul Film Festival announced
ISTANBUL
The Istanbul Film Festival is preparing to meet cinema lovers for the 37th time. The festival, with a program comprising highlights from Turkey and world cinema, will take place between April 6 and 17.
The festival hosts 198 feature films, as well as 12 short films, in 18 different categories, and in addition to the screening of a total of 210 films by 218 directors from 43 countries, there will be Q&As and festival talks with guest filmmakers, concerts, and other special events.
The 37th Istanbul Film Festival films will be screened at nine movie theatres: Atlas and Beyoğlu movie theaters, as well as Pera Museum Auditorium in the Beyoğlu district, Cinemaximum City’s in Nişantaşı, Cinemaximum Zorlu Center in Gayrettepe, Rexx and Kadıköy movie theaters in Kadıköy.
The Cinema Honorary Awards of festival will be bestowed to five revered figures this year: Actress Perihan Savaş, writer and scriptwriter Osman Şahin, filmmaker Aram Gülyüz, and celebrated filmmaker and producer Arif Keskiner.
The Outstanding Contribution to Cinema Award will be given to Cevdet Pişkin, a familiar face for film buffs in Beyoğlu, who has served as the managing director of the Atlas Movie Theatre for
20 years. The recipients will be presented their awards at the opening ceremony of the festival.
“Meetings on the Bridge,” organized within the scope of festival, will take place between 6 and 13 April.
While providing an opportunity for filmmakers to hold the first international presentations of their new film projects at Film Development Workshop and films in post-production at Work in Progress, Meetings on the Bridge also aims to pave the way for co-productions and organizes panels, master classes and forums.
Competitions
The competitions of the 37th Istanbul Film Festival will begin on April 8. The winners of the International Competition, Human Rights in Cinema, National Competition, the National Documentary and the National Short Film competitions will be announced at the 37th Istanbul Film Festival Award Ceremony to be held on April 17.
One of the main categories in the International Competition section of the festival, 11 films from 11 countries, under the “New Perspectives in Cinema” theme will vie for the Golden Tulip.
International Competition films include “Dog” by Samuel Benchétrit, “Tuzdan Kaide” (The Pillar of Salt) by Burak Çevik, “Cocote” by Nelson Carlo de los Santos Arias, “Good Manners” by Marco Dutra and Juliana Rojas, “Western” by Valeska Grisebach, “Once Upon a Time in November” by Andrzej Jakimowski, “Soldiers. Story from Ferentari” by Ivana Mladenovic, “Winter brothers” by Hlynur Palmason,” Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts” by Mouly Surya, “The Home” by Asghar Yousefinejad and “The Rider” by
Chloe Zhao.
Thirteen films that were completed in the 2017-18 season will be vying for the Golden Tulip in the National Competition of the festival, 10 of them world premieres and one of them a Turkey premiere.
The National Competition Jury will distribute awards in nine categories: Golden Tulip Best Film, Best Director, Special Prize of the Jury, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematographer, Best Editing, and Best Original Music.
Burak Çevik’s “The Pillar of Salt,” Murat Düzgünoğlu’s “Halef,” Semih Kaplanoğlu’s “Buğday” (Grain), Tolga Karaçelik’s “Kelebekler” (Butterflies), Kenan Kavut’s “The Escape,” Mehmet Ali Konar’s “Renksiz Rüya” (Colorless Dream), Abdurrahman Öner’s “Aydede” (Road to the Moon), Tayfun Pirselimoğlu’s “Yol Kenarı” (Sideway), Vuslat Saraçoğlu’s “Borç” (Debt), Banu Sıvacı’s “Güvercin” (The Pigeon), Ümit Ünal’s “Sofra Sırları” (Serial Cook), Onur Ünlü’s “Put Şeylere” (Put to the Things) and Emre Yeksan’s “Körfez”(The Gulf) will compete for the grand award at the festival.
The festival will open with “Lean on Pete,” directed by Andrew Haigh, who is known for “Weekend” and “45 Years.” Moreover, Romanian director Adina Pintilie’s first feature film “Touch me Not,” which has been awarded the Golden Bear at 2018 Berlin Film Festival, will have its Turkey premiere right after the festival on April 19.
Tickets for the festival will be available on March 24.