Golden Orange Fest to criticize system

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

This year’s Golden Orange Film Festival aims to criticize the system while making people laugh, under the theme of “Humor, Opposition and Democracy.” The festival will take place for the 49th time in Antalya this year. Organized by the Antalya Municipality and the Antalya Culture and Arts Foundation (AKSAV), the festival will be held between October 6 and 12. The main theme of the festival will be reflected in panels, seminars, conferences and workshops. The festival’s street performances will be designed to reflect the voice of the “other.”

The festival will focus on Turkish and world cinema of the 1990s. Audiences will see masterpieces which made their mark on the cinematic scene in the 1990s, around the themes of social criticism and a humorous approach.

Humor has always played a very important role in criticism throughout history, said Antalya Mayor Mustafa Akaydın, who is also an AKSAV member.

Humor and criticism played an especially important role in Turkish cinema during the 1990s, he added. “That’s why we chose the theme of ‘Humor, Democracy and Opposition.’ Sometimes humor makes people look at inequalities, opposition, and government in a different way, Akaydın said. “Humor makes people think more, and sometimes it becomes the most important thing in life. … Opposition is the most important thing for the ruling party. It makes politics work just like a mechanism.” Humor also opens the doors of democracy, because it allows criticism, Akaydın said, adding that while democracy allows for a secure system, it also allows for criticism of the system. k HDN