Istanbul Film Festival concludes with award ceremony

ISTANBUL

Vahide Perçin was given the best actress award for her perfromance in ‘Ayhan Hanım.’

The curtain has fallen on another Istanbul Film Festival, the city’s most popular cinematic event, with films by Eskil Vogt and Tayfun Pirselimoğlu winning the biggest awards of the event.

The Golden Tulip in memory of Şakir Eczacıbaşı in the International Competition was given to “Blind,” directed by Vogt. The award was announced by the president of the International Competition Jury, Asghar Farhadi, while the monetary award of the Eczacıbaşı Group was presented to the director by İlkay Yıldırım Akalın, Eczacıbaşı Holding corporate communications and sustainability director.

The special jury prize in the Golden Tulip International Competition was given to “Papusza” by Joanna Kos-Krauze and Krzysztof Krauze.

This year, 10 films, three of which enjoyed their Turkey premieres and four world premieres at the festival, competed in the Golden Tulip National Competition. The Golden Tulip Best Film Award was given to “Ben O Değilim” (I Am Not Him) directed by Pirselimoğlu. The award was presented president of the National Competition Jury, Derviş Zaim, himself an accomplished director.

The Golden Tulip Best Director Award was given to Onur Ünlü for his film “İtirazım Var” (Let’s Sin), while the special jury prize was awarded to “He Bû Tune Bû” (Once Upon A Time) by Kazım Öz.

While the best actress award was presented to Vahide Perçin for her performance in “Ayhan Hanım,” the best actor award went to Serkan Keskin for his performance in “İtirazım Var.”

The best screenplay award was presented to Pirselimoğlu for his screenplay in “Ben O Değilim,” while the festival’s best director of photography award was presented to Ahmet Sesigürgil for his work in “Silsile” (Consequences).

Seyfi Teoman Best Debut Film Prize

The Seyfi Teoman Best Debut Film Prize, presented for the first time last year in memory of director and producer Seyfi Teoman, who died at a young age, was also announced at the ceremony. Jury members for the award were director Jan Ole Gerster, who participated in the festival last year with the film “Oh Boy,” actor Taner Birsel and the director of the critically acclaimed film “Çoğunluk” (Majority), Seren Yüce.

All debut films from Turkey in the Golden Tulip International and National Competitions, under the Out of Competition and New Turkish Cinema titles of the Turkish Cinema section of the festival, as well as the
Human Rights in Cinema section, were nominated for the award. Ultimately, Director Görkem Şarkan walk away with the honor for “Nergis Hanım” (Mrs. Nergis), which was screened as part of the New Turkish Cinema section.

The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) also doled out two awards. The FIPRESCI Prize in the International Competition was presented to “20,000 Days on Earth” by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard and to “He Bû Tune Bû” in the National Competition.

The people’s choice awards, sponsored by daily Radikal and determined by the votes of the festival audience, were presented to “Tom à la ferme”

(Tom at the Farm) by Xavier Dolan in the International Competition and “Were Denge Min” (Come to My Voice) by Hüseyin Karabey in the National Competition.

During the ceremony, FIPRESCI also presented a plaque to writer, critic, translator and historian Giovanni Scognamillo on the occasion of his 85th birthday and his contributions to film history.

Presented on the initiatives of Turkish Film Critics’ Association (SİYAD), the plaque was given to Scognamillo by Alin Taşçıyan, president of FIPRESCI and SİYAD.