Taste of Anatolia presents Turkish films in UK

ISTANBUL

The U.K.’s only independent Turkish film festival, Taste of Anatolia–Films from Turkey (TOA), has announced the program for its third edition.

Running from Sept. 2 to 5, the festival boasts a highly diverse selection of movies from Turkey’s established and emerging directors, whose bold themes include queer love, sacred fish, Turkey’s erotic film industry, and refugees.

Hollywood actor Numan Acar and Netflix favorites Birkan Sokullu and Alican Yücesoy are among those starring.

The festival will be the U.K. premier for many of the films featuring in this year’s program.

Movie highlights include “Love, Spells and All That” (Aşk, Büyü, vs.), “Chronology” (Kronoloji), “La Belle Indifference” (Küçük Şeyler), “In The Shadows” (Gölgeler İçinde), “Omar and Us” (Omar ve Biz), “Invisible to the Eye” (Ah Gözel Istanbul), “Best Actress” (En İyi Kadın Oyuncu) and “7 Kybeles” (7 Kibele). They form part of a selection of 38 short and full-length feature films straddling both fiction and documentaries.

Organized by British-Turkish film charity Balık Arts, this year, Taste of Anatolia–Films from Turkey will run entirely online due to the pandemic.

All film screenings are free to watch on BalıkArtsTV.com for registered viewers in the U.K., with many films also available to international audiences.

“Thanks to streaming during this long lockdown, the consumption of Turkish films in Britain has grown. The third edition of Taste of Anatolia–Films From Turkey aims to build on this interest with an exciting program of award-winning independent Turkish movies, many of them making their U.K. premiere through the festival,” said festival director Yeşim Güzelpınar.

“For four days, Taste of Anatolia puts the spotlight on life in Turkey: A selection of 38 films that span hard-hitting social issues through to romance and comedy, which viewers can watch at their leisure and for free,” she said.