Nominees for Afife Theater Awards announced

ISTANBUL

The nominees for the 21st Yapı Kredi Afife Theater Awards were announced on April 3, with a number of young directors and actors up for the top prizes. 

In the main categories, the nominees for best director include Şahika Tekand (Waiting for Godot), Nurkan Erpulat (The Ridiculous Darkness), Murat Daltaban (How to Hold Your Breath?), Çağ Çalışkur (Yen) and Mehmet Birkiye (Lungs). 

Nominees for best actress include Merve Dizdar (Swallow), Nergis Öztürk (Lungs), Pınar Akkuzu (Under the Castle), Elif Ürse (The Ridiculous Darkness) and Gizem Güçlü (How to Hold Your Breath). 

In the best actor category, Bora Akkaş (Yen), Şerif Erol (Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike), Mert Turak (The Ants), Cem Bender (Waiting for Godot) and Alican Yücesoy (The Ridiculous Darkness) will compete for the prize. 

The choices were announced at a press conference featuring Yapı Kredi Afife Theater Awards Executive Board President Salih Başağa, jury chair Professor Merih Tangün and veteran actor Haldun Dormen.

Başağa said the awards were given to support Turkish theater and those who contributed to theater, and that the number of young nominees had increased with every year.

Dormen said the Afife Theater Awards had become synonymous with Turkish theater, adding that the awards were one of the most important cultural and artistic events in the country. 

Organizers also announced that the Muhsin Ertuğrul Special Award would be presented to Işıl Kasapoğlu, the Cevat Fehmi Başkut Special Award to Murat Mahmutyazıcıoğlu, the Haldun Dormen Special Award to “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” and the Yapı Kredi Special Award to Ayla Algan. 

The award ceremony will be held on April 24 at Istanbul’s Haliç Congress Center.