Antalya welcomes stars at Golden Orange Film Festival

ANTALYA - Hürriyet Daily News

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Veteran actress Türkan Şoray was presented the Social Responsibility in Art Award on the opening night of the 49th International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival Oct. 6. 

Artists arrived at the festival’s opening ceremony on a red carpet at the Glass Pyramid Congress and Fair Center. They were accompanied by officials carrying umbrellas, since strong rainfall started during their arrival at the center. The stage decor of the festival, centered around the theme “Humor, Opposition and Democracy,” followed a black-and-white film concept. 

The “sultan of Turkish cinema,” Şoray, attending the Golden Orange for the first time in 15 years, received a “Social Responsibility in Art” award from Antalya Mayor Mustafa Akaydın. She was warmly welcomed to the stage by the audience. 

“It is very nice to be an artist, a cinema actress. This is a miracle of cinema. It is an unbelievable joy and I thank you with all my heart. Dear cinema-loving Antalya residents, I embrace you,” Şoray said. 
She said it had a different meaning for her to be in Antalya for the festival. 

“Many years ago I received the best female actress award at the first Antalya Film Festival. I was very surprised. This is why I have different feelings about being here tonight. I also want to say that the Golden Orange Film Festival has supported and contributed to the Turkish cinema sector for years. I thank all the mayors of the city for this support. Turkish cinema is being talked about around the world in recent years; [Turkish films] win many awards. I am proud of it. I congratulate all my colleagues.” 
Akaydın present the award to Şoray saying, “To the real sultan of Atatürk’s republic.” 

Lifetime Achievement Awards 

At the ceremony, director Duygu Sağıroğlu, producer Necip Sarıcı, actors Güler Ökten, Salih Güney, Meral Zeren and Hungarian director Istvan Szabo were presented with Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Also, Işık Yenersu received the Yıldırım Önal Memorial Award. 

Culture and Tourism Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Faruk Şahin, who presented the award to Sağıroğlu, said the festival was closely followed by the ministry, which continued to support it. He said the Turkish cinema sector had made a big leap in recent years. “The number of Turkish films annually increased from 10-15 to 65-70 since the beginning of the 2000s. This situation also increased the rate Turkish films are watched. Among the rates of watching local films, we rank first in Europe and sixth in the world.” 

Antalya Gov. Ahmet Altınparmak presented the award to actress Ökten, saying that the festival had made great contributions to Antalya’s promotion and its brand value, as well as the industrialization of Turkish cinema. 

He said 120 films and documentaries had been made in Antalya. “We will continue to support it. Eleven million tourists come to Antalya every year, and if we promote this film festival enough, we can bring these tourists to the festival, too.” 

Szabo receives award from Avşar 

The festival’s International Feature Film Competition jury president, Szabo, received his Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Feature Film Competition jury president, actress Hülya Avşar.
 
Szabo said that when he started making films, he asked himself questions such as “What makes a film unique? What is it that we cannot express with words, literature, music and theater? What will film show us?” He said, “I saw that there was only one thing, the face of living humans.” He also added that he shared the award with all the actors and actresses at the ceremony. 

Actress Zeren received her award from actor Sümer Tilmaç, while actor Günay received his from actress Selda Alkor, and Sarıcı from actress Tijen Par. The Cinema Labor Award went to lighting director Erol Batıbeki. He received his award from actress Deniz Türkali.