Turkish actors withdraw from Golden Orange jury

ISTANBUL - Radikal

The withdrawal of Turkish actor Levent Kırca is linked to the naming of actress Avşar. DHA photo

Two members of this year’s Golden Orange Film Festival jury withdrew from their posts a few hours after the organizing committee announced the full jury.

The withdrawal of Turkish actor and comedian Levent Kırca is linked to the naming of Turkish actress Hülya Avşar as the head of the jury, which was announced late last week and before the full jury was disclosed. Turkish director and celebrated video artist Kutluğ Ataman said he resigned due to his pressing schedule, as he is about to start shooting a new movie.

Ataman’s assistant confirmed the news of his withdrawal from the jury and explained that Ataman resigned because his film’s shooting would coincidence with the festival, which is scheduled for Oct. 6-12. It is being claimed in the film community that Ataman also resigned because of Hülya Avşar’s assignment as chairman of the jury. However, Ataman and Avşar worked together on the film “Two Girls” (İki Genç Kız), and Ataman answered questions about working with Avşar positively. Ataman is a world-renowned contemporary artist, and has won awards for his films “Lola and Billy the Kid,” and “Dark Waters.”

Levent Kırca stated that was resigning his post due to Avşar’s jury chairmanship.

“I do not believe Avşar has enough cinematic and general knowledge. She is the last person who should have been named as chairman of the jury. Therefore I am withdrawing from the jury,” Kırca said. He said he had accepted his position on the jury a year ago, but had just learned that Avşar would be chairing it. “On my principles, I renounce her chairmanship. It is a shame for the people who are actually eligible to carry out that duty. I do not want to have any arguments during the festival, so I am resigning from the post. In a period when theaters are being closed and sculptures are being pulled down, I still cannot believe Avşar has been assigned to this post. I do not want to be on the jury. The jury [for this festival] should be a high-quality one.”

The festival, organized by Antalya Municipality and the Antalya Foundation for Culture and Arts, will be held Oct. 6-12. The members of the jury for the 49th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, under the chairmanship of Hülya Avşar, are Selçuk Yöntem, Sümer Tilmaç, Pelinsu Pir, singer Ayşegül Aldinç, screenwriter Tunca Arslan, scriptwriter Levent Kazak, cinematographer Uğur İçbak, Prof. Gülseren Güçhan, journalist Mine Kırıkkanat and caricaturist Erdil Yaşaroğlu.

Turkey,