THE CITY EYES THE FESTIVAL

34TH ISTANBUL FILM FESTIVAL KICKS OFF ON 4 APRIL

The 34th Istanbul Film Festival, organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) and sponsored by AKBANK for the 11th edition, will take place on 4-19 April 2015. The city will satiate with cinema in the two weeks of the festival that will provide a rich palette of award-winning films of the world cinema, the latest of the Turkish cinema, classics, masterpieces and the latest discoveries, along with talks with directors and actors and the most entertaining parties.

It’s only a few days to the Istanbul Film Festival, which proudly keeps its position as the standard-bearer after 34 years, for the diversity and the quality of its content. To be held between 4-19 April this year, Istanbul Film Festival will once again offer cinephiles a most generous programme that pushes the boundaries of creativity, encompassing the newest films from 2014 and 2015, as well as the masterpieces of all times, the latest films of great directors, and those of the up-and-coming prodigies yet to be discovered. Further to the 20 odd sections featuring 204 films by 222 directors from 62 countries, there will also be free-of-charge talks and workshops by renowned filmmakers, master classes, and other special events within the scope of the festival.

The programme of the 34th Istanbul Film Festival was announced at a press meeting led by the Istanbul Film Festival Director Azize Tan, also with the participation of İKSV General Director Görgün Taner, and Akbank General Manager Hakan Binbaşgil, at İKSV’s official accommodation sponsor Martı Istanbul Hotel today, 10 March.

Please find detailed 34th Istanbul Film Festival and 10th Meetings on the Bridge press releases and the festival's programme. 

THE CITY EYES THE FESTIVAL

34TH ISTANBUL FILM FESTIVAL KICKS OFF ON 4 APRIL

The 34th Istanbul Film Festival, organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) and sponsored by AKBANK for the 11th edition, will take place on 4-19 April 2015. The city will satiate with cinema in the two weeks of the festival that will provide a rich palette of award-winning films of the world cinema, the latest of the Turkish cinema, classics, masterpieces and the latest discoveries, along with talks with directors and actors and the most entertaining parties.

It’s only a few days to the Istanbul Film Festival, which proudly keeps its position as the standard-bearer after 34 years, for the diversity and the quality of its content. To be held between 4-19 April this year, Istanbul Film Festival will once again offer cinephiles a most generous programme that pushes the boundaries of creativity, encompassing the newest films from 2014 and 2015, as well as the masterpieces of all times, the latest films of great directors, and those of the up-and-coming prodigies yet to be discovered. Further to the 20 odd sections featuring 204 films by 222 directors from 62 countries, there will also be free-of-charge talks and workshops by renowned filmmakers, master classes, and other special events within the scope of the festival.

34th Istanbul Film Festival Press Meeting

The programme of the 34th Istanbul Film Festival was announced at a press meeting led by the Istanbul Film Festival Director Azize Tan, also with the participation of İKSV General Director Görgün Taner, and Akbank General Manager Hakan Binbaşgil, at İKSV’s official accommodation sponsor Martı Istanbul Hotel on Tuesday, 10 March.

Underlining Istanbul Film Festival’s significance in the establishment of a culture and tradition of cinema in Turkey, Hakan Binbaşgil, General Manager of Akbank said, “Every year, this impressive artistic event presents the most prestigious and original films. The festival also plays a major role in the advancement of our cinema. I think one of the key reasons behind the success of the Istanbul Film Festival as a world-renowned event is the passionate support of its viewers. The ceaseless enthusiasm of viewers since 34 years encourages the organisers to always aim higher.” Binbaşgil continued: “Akbank is glad to support this prominent festival for the 11th time in a row.
I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who has worked to turn the Istanbul Film Festival into a prestigious event that also contributes greatly to cinema on an international scale. First and foremost, I would like to commemorate Şakir Eczacıbaşı with great respect; he will always be remembered as a mentor and a pioneer. And, of course, I would like to thank Chairman Bülent Eczacıbaşı and his successful team at İKSV, an organisation that has contributed tremendously to our artistic and cultural lives for more than 40 years.”

Istanbul Film Festival Director Azize Tan briefed the guests on the festival programme and the events, while also announcing the films that will compete for the International Golden Tulip Competition, National Golden Tulip Competition, as well as those in the FACE Human Rights in Cinema and the newly launched National Documentary Competitions. Azize Tan noted that this year was the 20th anniversary of the death of Onat Kutlar
–co-founder of the festival–and the 50th anniversary of the Turkish Cinematheque Association, which was also founded by Kutlar and his friends in 1965. In her speech, Tan also referred to the insufficiency of movie theatres in Istanbul, stating that the festival still had difficulty after all these years in finding adequate venues for screenings.

The press meeting of the 34th Istanbul Film Festival was broadcast live on film.iksv.org and medyamerkezi.vodafone.com.tr, with the kind support of İKSV’s Official Communication Sponsor Vodafone.

Cinema Honorary Awards

This year, the Istanbul Film Festival Honorary Awards will be given to five esteemed figures of the Turkish cinema: director-producer Yılmaz Atadeniz, musician Cahit Berkay, actress Nebahat Çehre, writer-director Safa Önal, and actor Süleyman Turan. The Honorary Awards will be presented at the festival's Opening Ceremony at the Lütfi Kırdar International Convention and Exhibition Center on Friday, 3 April.

As a tribute, the festival will screen Yılmaz Güney’s unforgettable film Seyyit Han (1968) starring Yılmaz Güney and Nebahat Çehre, Yılmaz Atadeniz’s Maskeli Beşler / The Masked 5 (1968) with Süleyman Turan in the lead alongside Tamer Yiğit, Selma Güneri and Erol Taş and Temel Gürsu’s Dikkat Kan Aranıyor / Attention! Blood is Wanted featuring Süleyman Turan and Ekrem Bora.

Festival Programme

The programme of the 34th Istanbul Film Festival is replete with films that recently premiered at the Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals, as well as with documentaries, children’s movies, and the latest masterpieces of master directors, along with many other features. The festival’s traditional sections such as the Akbank Galas, Masters, From the World of Festivals, New Visions, Documentary Time with NTV, Mined Zone, Antidepressant, Kid’s Menu and Midnight Madness will this year be complemented with extra sections and special screenings.

The festival catalogue that gives comprehensive information about the films and the events, as well as the screening schedule and all other details about the festival, will be available at all the festival movie theatres and Biletix sales points for 5 TL.

New Sections in the Festival

·         Balkans: Cinema of Flames: This year, the Istanbul Film Festival dedicates a special section to the cinema of the Balkans, for which Kujtim Cashku says “The Balkans is the land of stories and storytellers” and which Nuri Bilge Ceylan describes as “a certain type of character, a certain type of spirit, an essence.” “The Balkans: Cinema of Flames”, inspired after Professor Dina Iordanova’s book of the same title, will bring together the best and the most contemporary films from this very special region. Seven films in total from Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia will be screened within the scope of this section.

·         Family Ties: Another new section in this year’s Istanbul Film Festival focuses on the family, which Brad Pitt refers as “a risky venture”, for which actress Aishwarya Rai says “My family is my strength and my weakness”, and which Haneke deconstructs in each and every one of his films. The ties that constitute a family–the most sanctified, the most criticized, and the most exploited social institution of all–are approached, scrutinized, questioned, and even battered in the 10 films in this section.

·         Special Screening: Little Truths: In its 10th year, the Istanbul Modern pays a tribute to the centenary of the Turkish cinema with a film project, for which five directors or director duos chosen by the Istanbul Modern Cinema made short films referring to cinema in Turkey. These short films that contribute to the country’s cinematic history from a contemporary point-of-view were produced specifically for Istanbul Modern’s project with the support of Istanbul Development Agency, and they will be screened together under the title of “Little Truths” in the festival.

·         German Animation Cinema: This section is a collaboration of the Istanbul Film Festival and Goethe-Institut and includes German animation films from the past three years from young upcoming and already celebrated directors and filmmakers. The programme to be formed by two sections is prepared by Annegret Richter, Head of the Animation Programme of the International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animation Film.

Lisandro Alonso Retrospective at the Festival

The festival celebrates the work of writer-director Lisandro Alonso, a leading figure in the New Argentine Cinema, by screening his entire filmography for the first time in Turkey. This special section, which comprises Alonso’s latest movie Jauja (2014) with Viggo Mortensen in the lead, as well as his tetralogy Liverpool (2008), O Fantasma (2006), Los Muertos (2004), and La Libertad (2001), provides a unique opportunity for cinephiles who would like to explore the enchanting and mysterious atmosphere typical to the movies by Alonso, who combines the conventional techniques of fiction and documentary cinema.

A Masterpiece of Turkish Cinema Renovated: Metin Erksan’s “Revenge of the Snakes”

With the collaboration of Groupama, the Istanbul Film Festival has been renovating the distinguished works of the Turkish cinema and reintroducing them to the modern viewers, for eight years now. This year sees the restoration of one of the masterpieces of the Turkish cinema: Metin Erksan’s 1962 film, Revenge of the Snakes. Restored by Fanatik Film Revenge of the Snakes will premier within the scope of the Turkish Classics Revisited section on the evening of 9 April and subsequently meet its audience on 12 April.

The Festival Commemorates Onat Kutlar

Tribute to the 50th Anniversary of the Turkish Cinematheque: “Il Gattopardo”

The festival commemorates Onat Kutlar on the 20th anniversary of his death with a special screening. The Istanbul Film Festival pays tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Turkish Cinematheque Association, founded in 1965 by Onat Kutlar and his friends, who was also among the founders of the festival, by a special screening of one of Kutlar’s favourite directors. Visconti’s masterpiece Il Gattopardo / The Leopard (1963) will be screened at the festival from its restored print, while Kutlar’s article on Visconti, originally published in the Yeni Sinema Magazine in 1967, will be republished in the festival catalogue. A panel will be held on Friday, 10 April at Istanbul Modern, where the mission and heritage of “Cinematheque years” will be discussed.

The Golden Tulip Excitement at the Festival

The Istanbul Film Festival’s competition films will meet the audiences, along with the jury, during the second week of the festival. The winners will be announced at an Award Ceremony at the Lütfi Kırdar International Convention and Exhibition Center on Saturday, 18 April.

International Golden Tulip Competition: In the “International Competition” section of the 34th Istanbul Film Festival, 12 films dealing with themes of art and artist or literature adaptations will vie for the Golden Tulip.
The International Competition Golden Tulip Award, presented in memory of Şakir Eczacıbaşı, will be supported with a 25,000 Euros monetary award by the Eczacıbaşı Group. The jury of the International Golden Tulip Competition, presided by Rolf de Heer, consists of director Bence Fliegauf, writer-director George Ovashvili, producer Cédomir Kolar, and actress Melisa Sözen.

National Golden Tulip Competition: 11 cream of the crop films that were completed in the 2014/15 season, will be vying for the Golden Tulip in the National Competition of the festival, while raising the occasion to three Turkey and six world premieres. The National Competition Jury will be headed by the prominent Turkish film director Zeki Demirkubuz, with actor Tansu Biçer, cinematographer Emre Erkmen, author Şebnem İşigüzel, and the International Berlin Film Festival Panorama Section Selection Committee Member and TEDDY Award Founder, filmmaker and author Wieland Speck as its members.

Best Film in the “National Competition” selected by the jury headed by the prominent Turkish film director Zeki Demirkubuz, will be awarded with the Golden Tulip and 150,000 TL, and the Best Director will be awarded with 50,000 TL. Best Actress and Best Actor will be awarded with 10,000 TL each. The Istanbul Film Festival National Golden Tulip Competition Jury will also give the Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Music awards. Producer of the movie awarded with the Special Jury Award in memory of Onat Kutlar will be given 60,000 TL by Anadolu Efes.

National Documentary Competition: The 34th Istanbul Festival will be awarding prizes in the documentary category in the Turkish Cinema section, with the support of Anadolu Efes for the first time. The Istanbul Film Festival, which has shown great interest in documentary film production in Turkey for many years, will be awarding a Best Documentary and Special Jury Prize, in order to support documentary film-makers and documentary film production in Turkey. The Documentary Competition Jury, assembled for the first time this year, will be awarding a total of 15,000 TL with the support of Anadolu Efes, in the categories of Best Documentary and the Special Jury Prize. The National Documentary Competition jury consists of documentarian Emel Çelebi, director and producer Pelin Esmer, and director Paul Poet. 11 world premieres and 2 Turkey premieres will be held at the Istanbul Film Festival National Documentary Competition.

Human Rights in Cinema: The Film Award of Council of Europe FACE: FACE, exclusive to the Istanbul Film Festival, continues to be awarded with the support of the Council of Europe. The FACE Award will be presented to one of the films screened in the “Human Rights in Cinema” section, which aims to raise public consciousness and sensitivity to human rights related issues. A representative from the Council of Europe will present the 10,000 Euros monetary prize to the director of the winning film. Eurimages Fund of the Council of Europe supporting co-production, distribution, and presentation of cinema is a partner to the FACE Award.

In the “Human Rights in Cinema” section, 10 films will meet the audiences, along with the FACE Award Jury that comprises author, actor and screenwriter Ercan Kesal, European Film Fund Eurimages Executive Director Roberto Olla, Palestinian screenwriter and director Najwa Najjar, and Leyla Kayacık who is the Senior Adviser at the Private Office of the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary General on matters related to Human Rights and Supremacy of Law.

In Memoriam Seyfi Teoman: Seyfi Teoman Best Debut Film Prize: The Istanbul Film Festival presents the Seyfi Teoman Best Debut Film Prize in memoriam director and producer Seyfi Teoman, who passed away at a young age. Director of the film awarded with the Seyfi Teoman Best Debut Film Prize will be presented 30,000 TL by CMYLMZ Fikirsanat. All the debut fiction films from Turkey in the International Golden Tulip Competition, Human Rights in Cinema and the Turkish Cinema (National Golden Tulip Competition, “Out of Competition” and “New Turkish Cinema”) sections will be eligible for the prize. Seyfi Teoman Best Debut Film Prize jury consists of scriptwriter and director Mahmut Fazıl Coşkun, actor and director Syllas Tzoumerkas and actress Selen Uçer.

FIPRESCI Award: The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) will give awards in the Istanbul Film Festival as in the previous years. One film from the International Competition and one film from the National Competition will receive the FIPRESCI Award. The FIPRESCI jury will be headed by Alexander Grozev from Bulgaria and will have Antti Selkokari from Finland, Sasja Koetsier from The Netherlands, Giovanni Ottone from Italy and Senem Erdine and Şenay Aydemir from Turkey.

Cineuropa.org Prize: Cineuropa.org Prize, will be presented to a film that besides having indisputable artistic qualities also brings out the idea of European dialogue and integration. Cineuropa.org Prize will be presented to a film in the National Golden Tulip Competition section of the 34th Istanbul Film Festival and selected by film critic Vladan Petkovic.

Radikal People’s Choice Award: Since 2000, Radikal, as one of the media sponsors of İKSV, has been presenting one film from the National and one from the International Golden Tulip Competitions the Radikal People’s Choice Award. Festival audiences will submit their online votes on the terminals set up at the festival movie theatres to determine the people’s choice. The award-winner will be travelling to the Sarajevo Film Festival as the guest of Radikal.

Meetings On The Bridge Celebrates its 10th Anniversary

Bringing filmmakers from Turkey together with international professionals, Meetings on the Bridge will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2015 as part of the Istanbul Film Festival and sponsored by Anadolu Efes. Meetings on the Bridge has contributed to the realisation of 29 film projects over the past 9 years and has raised close to 430,000 Euros for 36 different projects.

The Film Development Workshop, where directors, screenwriters, and producers give the first international presentations for their feature-length fiction or documentary projects, is aimed to create opportunities for finding the necessary support to initiate the production process. The Film Development Workshop, within the scope of Meetings on the Bridge, will be held on 15-16 April 2015 and will culminate in the award ceremony on Thursday, 16 April. For more information about Meetings on the Bridge: film.iksv.org/en/meetingsonthebridge

This year, initiated in the 10th year of Meetings on the Bridge, there will be a training program for the first time including workshops and group works on script development, pitching, production, distribution, and marketing held by experienced international filmmakers and trainers.

In its 10th year, the Meetings on the Bridge launches a new project, inviting film projects from neighbouring countries with a view to fostering the dialogue and cultural exchange between the nations and pioneering new collaborations in co-productions by creative people of similar cultures.

Festival Guests

The Istanbul Film Festival continues to bring guest directors and actors together with the festival audiences. Presentations and Q&A sessions before and after screenings will host such renowned figures of the cinema including;

-     Iranian director Bahman Ghobadi (Words with Gods), known for his films A Time for Drunken Horses and Turtles Can Fly,

-     Iranian actress Simin Fatemah Motamed-Aria (Nabat), who served in the Golden Tulip International Competition Jury of the Istanbul Film Festival in 2013,

-     Director of An Education and One Day Lone Scherfig (The Riot Club) who has proven her ability to make literature adaptations and directing star actors and actresses,

-     The leading actor of Peter Greenaway’s Eisenstein in Guanajuato to be screened in the Masters Section of the festival Elmar Back,

-     Italian director Duccio Chiarini (Short Skin) who competed in the Generation section of the Berlinale this year,

-     Kurdish director based in Norway Hisham Zaman (Letter to the King) who has been awarded in several international festivals,

-     Ivano De Matteo, director of The Dinner who has won the Best European Film in the Venice Days section of the Venice Film Festival and Pasinetti Special Award, and the leading actor of the film Luigi Lo Cascio,

-     The leading actress of The Duke of Burgundy, which received overwhelmingly positive reviews at Toronto, Rotterdam and London Film Festivals, Chiara D’Anna, who has also worked with the director Peter Strickland in Berberian Sound Studio,

-     Severija Janušauskaitė, actress of the Golden Tulip International Competition Film Star, among many other guests.

Cine-concert: Damon & Naomi play “Fortune”

The festival also hosts a cine-concert this year, with the collaboration of the Salon İKSV: Damon & Naomi play ‘Fortune’. The Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang duo has contributed to the soundtracks of various films such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Greenberg, as well as of TV shows including The Sopranos and The Ghost Whisperer. The duo’s performance will be based on the 30-minute silent movie ‘Fortune’, directed by Naomi Yang, with Norman von Holtzendorff and Anabel Vazquez Rodriguez in the leads. Damon and Naomi started off their musical career at the Galaxie 500 and conjured the intimacy of the 70’s music through their enchanting, comforting, and fresh sound, which weaves the elements of folk, psych, dream pop, and indie rock together with the electro-guitar. Damon and Naomi will be at Salon İKSV on Saturday, 11 April, at 21:30 and the tickets for this performance will be on Biletix and the İKSV box office.

Festival Parties will expand to both sides of Istanbul just like the festival

Istanbul Film Festival and Fil’m Hafızası will expand the festival festivities to the Anatolian side of Istanbul with a party from 18.00 on Saturday, 4 April in Kadıköy. Attendance will be free of charge to the party in 8 different venues including Dunia, Stereogun, Lâl, Masal Evi, Liman Kahvesi, Flu, Trip and Hera, where cinema chats and competitions awaits party-goers.

Another party within the scope of the festival in collaboration with Fil’m Hafızası will get the cinephiles together at the European side of the city at InnPark on Friday, 17 April. Following the screening of Dead Snow2: Red vs Dead by Norwegian director Tommy Wirkola at Beyoğlu Movie Theatre at 24.00, surprise guests, DJ performances and film chats will meet the audiences. The tickets for this party will be sold for 25TL (full) and 15TL (student) while the ticket holders for the screening of Dead Snow2: Red vs Dead before the party will be able to attend the party free of charge.

The city eyes the festival, social media throbs with excitement

You can follow the festival’s social media channels for easy and instant access to all information on films, events, guests, and other details. You can carry along the festival excitement with you wherever you go–while whether you are making your festival programme or taking a break between two films, you can always check the festival’s Facebook and Tumblr pages, Twitter and Instagram accounts. Also, fun competitions will allow you to learn more about the programme while winning surprise presents. You can use the #istfilmfest15 hashtag to be a part of the festival buzz.

To follow the Istanbul Film Festival on social media:

facebook.com/istanbulfilmfestivali

twitter.com/ist_filmfest

instagram.com/istfilmfest

istfilmfest.tumblr.com

youtube.com/iksvistanbul

İKSV Mobile Anew: Follow the Festival on Your Phone

You can access the festival programme from the official festival website film.iksv.org, as well as from İKSV Mobile application, renewed with the contributions of Vodafone which is free for download on AppStore and Google Play. The new version of the application has an improved user-friendly interface and offers a multifunctional calendar and dynamic user notification. The new features allow users to access the upcoming events easily, to filter events according to date range, type, and location, and to add events to their personal calendars. 

Festival Movie Theatres and Screening Times

The 34th Istanbul Film Festival screenings will take place at the Atlas (2 halls), Beyoğlu movie theatres and Institut Français in Beyoğlu, Feriye in Ortaköy, and Rexx (2 halls) movie theatres in Kadıköy, as well as the Istanbul Modern Cinema hall. Screening times are 11.00, 13.30, 16.00, 19.00 and 21.30. In the “Midnight Madness” section of the festival, a film will be screened at 24.00 every Friday at the Beyoğlu and every Saturday at the Atlas throughout the festival.

Festival Tickets

The festival tickets will be on sale starting from 10.30 on Saturday, 28 March. The tickets can be purchased through Biletix sales channels, main box offices at festival movie theatres Atlas and Rexx.

Ticket Prices:

Weekday daytime screenings at 11.00, 13.30 and 16.00 are only 5 TL.

Weekday 19.00 screenings and weekend 11.00, 13.30, 16.00 and 19.00 screenings are 17 TL; student and senior (over 65) tickets are 12 TL.

All 21.30 screenings are 17 TL.

First screenings of Akbank Galas at Atlas and Rexx movie theatres are 20 TL.

Early Bird Discount

Everybody who buys tickets as of 28 March before the Istanbul Film Festival starts on 4 April will get a special discount of 10% this year.

Special Discounts for Tulip Card Holders:

Tulip Card holders enjoy the advance sale privilege and 25% special discount on the festival tickets. Advance sale for Tulip Card members: 24 March for Black and White Tulip Card members and 25-27 March for Red and Yellow Tulip Card members at the festival theatres Atlas and Rexx, as well as at the Tulip Card Communication Centre and Biletix website.

Festival Sponsor AKBANK provides special advantages to Axess Card holders. The Axess Card holders will get a 20% special discount on the festival tickets, except for the weekday morning sessions.

PasoFilm! Card Exclusive to Students

The 34th Istanbul Film Festival introduces a special advantage card exclusive to students. Undergrad and high school students will be able to get a PasoFilm! card for 20 TL by showing their student ID’s at the İKSV main box office. The card will give them priority in ticket sales, discount at certain venues during the festival period, and a free festival catalogue. PasoFilm! card holders will be able to buy tickets from the Atlas and Rexx movie theatres, providing their students ID’s together with their cards, as of 27 March Friday, 13:00.

Supporters of the 34th Istanbul Film Festival

The 34th Istanbul Film Festival is held with the support of more than 20 institutions. The festival is organised by the generous support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey. The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Beyoğlu Municipality continue their publicity support for the festival.

Apart from the Festival Sponsor Akbank, 6 theme sponsors support the festival:

-         Anadolu Efes          “National Competition and Turkish Cinema”

-         Sabah Newspaper   “From the World of Festivals”

-         NTV                        “Documentary Time with NTV”

-         Pupa Bilişim           “Antidepressant”

-         NESCAFÉ Gold       “New Visions”

-         TV2                         “Midnight Madness”

-         MUBI                       “Mined Zone”

“Akbank Galas” supported by Akbank are shown as part of the festival.

Istanbul Film Festival brings the masterpieces of Turkish cinema by restoring them to the silver screen in its “Special Screening: Turkish Classics Revisited” section, initiated seven years ago under the sponsorship of Groupama.

In 2015, Renault will transfer the guests of the Istanbul Film Festival.

The leading sponsor of all festivals of İKSV is Eczacıbaşı Holding, the Official Communications Sponsor is Vodafone, the Official Carrier is DHL, The Official Accommodation Sponsor is Martı Istanbul Hotel and the service sponsors are Zurich Sigorta, GFK, Memorial Health Group, PDR Group, directComn Marketing Group and AGC.