Turkish director to premiere film in US

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Pelin Esmer’s ‘Watchower’ will make its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival.

Turkish film director Pelin Esmer’s latest film “Watchtower” will make its world premier at the 37th Toronto International Film Festival as the only Turkish film to be screened within the Contemporary World Cinema section of this year’s festival.

“Watchtower” will be screened as part of the festival’s Contemporary World Cinema section, which showcases the best world films. Esmer’s previous film “10 to 11” was screened as part of the festival in 2010. Turkish actors Yılmaz Erdoğan and actresses Beren Saat and Saadet Işıl Aksoy will attend the festival which is set to be held between Sept. 6 and 16.

Turkey premiere at Golden Boll Festival

The film will debut in Turkey during the 19th Adana Golden Boll Film Festival between Sept. 17 and 23. Starring Olgun Şimşek and Nilay Erdönmez in leading roles, the film follows the story of a man haunted by his dark past that takes a job as a fire warden in a remote watchtower in the wilderness and is inexorably drawn toward a young woman with a terrible secret of her own.

This year’s Toronto International Film Festival will wrap up its 10-day run with the world premiere of “Song for Marion,” a heartwarming story about the power of music from a director better known for his thrillers than feel-good fare, Reuters reported Aug. 14. “Song for Marion” stars Terence Stamp as Arthur, a grumpy retiree, and Vanessa Redgrave as his wife. Gemma Arterton plays a choir director who coaxes Arthur out of his shell in the film by British writer-director Paul Andrew Williams. Considered a launching site for Hollywood’s Oscar race, the Toronto festival will feature films starring Ryan Gosling, Tom Hanks and Robert De Niro, as well as Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut in its 37th year.

Along with the closing night film, festival organizers announced three new galas, including the world premieres of “Emperor,” a historical epic starring Tommy Lee Jones about the U.S. occupation of Japan after World War II, and “What Maisie Knew,” a family drama centered on a 7-year-old caught up in a chaotic custody battle. The Toronto International Film Festival will also host the North American premiere of Spike Lee’s “Bad 25,” a documentary that celebrates the 25th anniversary of Michael Jackson’s highly influential album “Bad.”