Diaspora Int'l Short Film Festival to kick off on Aug 27
ANKARA-Anadolu Agency
The Diaspora International Short Film Festival, an initiative of the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), will be launched on Aug. 27 in Istanbul for the first time.
The festival, of which Anadolu Agency is a global communications partner, will be organized by the Bosphorus Culture and Art Foundation at the Atlas Cinema on İstiklal Avenue in Beyoğlu district.
Speaking at a press conference at Beyoğlu Soho House, Abdullah Eren, the head of YTB, said many things that are meant to be told through cinema can be shown in an impressive and aesthetic way in just a few minutes or on a stage.
"The Diaspora International Short Film Festival was designed as a festival that is not only open and embraces the Turkish diaspora but also all other diaspora groups," Eren said.
He went on to say that the festival aims to meet the need for space to gather young and talented filmmakers from all diaspora groups.
"We set out with important missions and goals. We were met with more interest than we expected. We received 3,123 applications from 120 different countries, from India to Brazil, from China to Senegal, for the two different categories of the festival -- Turkish-speaking films and films in foreign languages," he added.
"Twenty-four short films, which include films dealing with issues that are of particular concern to diasporas such as belonging, multiculturalism, racism, being a refugee, discrimination, living together and Islamophobia, which are closely related to diasporas, were entitled to participate in the festival."
Pointing out that 2021 marks the 60th anniversary of the Turkish diaspora's migration to Europe, Eren said that "unfortunately, we live in a period where institutional racism, discrimination, Islamophobia and intolerance towards others have increased in recent years."
The director of the Diaspora International Short Film Festival, Emrah Kilic, also said that the teams of the 24 films that made it to the finals of the festival competition will be hosted in Istanbul.
Cinephiles will be able to view the film screenings from Aug. 28-29, and the award ceremony of the festival will be held on Aug. 29, Kilic said.
The jury of the Turkish-speaking films competition category consists of director Andac Haznedaroglu; the director of the Baku International Short Film Festival, Fehruz Shamiyev; and directors Haluk Piyes, Maryna Gorbach Er and Murat Seker.
The best picture of the competition will be awarded €5,000 and the winner of the TRT Special Award will be presented with €2,500, the Second Best Film with €1,500 and the Third Best Film with €1,000.
The jury of the films in the foreign language category includes producer Anthony Nti; the director of the Asian World Film Festival, Asel Sherniyazova; the director of the Sarajevo Film Center, Ines Tanovic; director Nariman Aliev and writer and producer Samed Karagoz.
The best picture of the category will be awarded €5,000, while one picture will receive the Jury’s Special Award of €2,500, the second best film €1,500, and the third best film €1,000.
