Turkish sports documentary gets US film awards

ANKARA-Anadolu Agency

A Turkish volleyball documentary won two awards on Nov. 16 in the U.S.

The Istanbul-based VakıfBank Sports Club said on Twitter that "Gözde The Fighter," which narrated the story of the team's Turkish captain, Gözde Kırdar, won in the “Best Sports Film” category at the 2020 New York International
Film Awards and the Oniros Film Awards.

Kırdar was one of the best volleyball players in Turkey, spending her entire 19-year career in a single club, VakıfBank.

The club said on its website that the 2019 documentary will be shown to the public at the Producers' Club near Times Square in New York City.

In the 25-minute documentary, her parents, sister, teammates and head coach talk about their memories of the 35-year-old star.

In the film, the club's Italian volleyball coach Giovanni Guidetti, praises Kırdar for her perseverance, leadership and passion for the game.

"She was so tough," Guidetti said, as her pain level was much higher than that of an average person.

"Other people would have gone to the hospital. But for Gözde, it [an injury] was nothing. And she was able to keep performing and keep training.

"She is a player that every coach in the world - but not even about volleyball - I mean every coach in soccer, basketball, cricket, they need one player like Gözde in the court," Guidetti added.

The Turkish club honored their legend Kırdar by retiring her No. 2 jersey in November 2019 in a ceremony and showed the documentary for the first time of this event.

A former Turkish international, Kırdar won the 2011, 2013, 2017 and 2018 CEV Champions League titles with VakıfBank.

She was named the 2018 CEV Volleyball Champions League MVP (Most Valuable Player).

Kırdar was a member of the Turkish national volleyball team, winning a bronze medal in the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix.

She retired from the game in 2018.

Her twin sister, Özge Kırdar Kinasts, is also a professional volleyball player.