31. Istanbul Film Festival Daily: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

YESTERDAY AT THE FESTIVAL

• MORE EXTENSIVE PROGRAMMES FROM THE FESTIVAL EVERYDAY!!! Festival audience had another tiresome but enjoyable day. It was a day full of presentations and events!

• PRESS MEETING WITH THE JURY National Competition Jury met with the press yesterday at 10.00, and afterwards the International Competition Jury was before the press at 11.00. During the press meeting with the moderator Azize Tan, Istanbul Film Festival director, questions were generally on the approach of the jury to decide on the films.

• A HERO IN THE “INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION” The film on an adolescent boy who confronts with illness presents amazing visuals by mixing animation with real images. The film in the “International Competition” category is an Ian FitzGibbon film who was awarded with the Golden Tulip with “A Film with Me in It”. Death of a Superhero adapted from a novel was screened at Fitaş 1 at 11.00 with the participation of actor Tomas Broddie-Sangster. As an answer to a question regarding his relation to comic books, Sangster stated “Actually I don’t like comic books. But I attended drawing courses when I was little. Then I quit... With the movie, I got interested again!”

• WHAT A GRANDFATHER SHARES WITH HIS GRANDCHILD IN HIS MOTHER TONGUE Realizing that his mother tongue is disappearing slowly, Mustafa decides to teach his mother tongue Zazaki to his grandchild. Where is My Mother Tongue?, a film on the effects of cultural traumas on families, in the “National Competition” category was screened at Atlas Sineması at 13.30 with the participation of director Veli Kahraman. You can reach the special interview with Veli Kahraman on the website. After the screening, the director and his parents, who are actors of the film, participated to the Q&A. His father stated: “We showed the truth in the film. There is no fiction... For example, I did not know any Turkish words except su (water) and ekmek (bread) until I started primary school. Then I started to school and I faced with the reality! There was woman who lived where we lived and she helped me. I still remember that she took me to the barn and she taught me the Turkish words there. Then I started learning slowly. I was even the first of class in the Turkish class later on!”

• DELAY IN THE “INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION” Maria is exhausted both financially and spiritually. She leaves her father, whom she does not care much, in the street one day. Third film by director Rodrigo Plà, The Delay was screened at Atlas Sineması at 16.00. Producer Sandino Saravia was present at the screening for Q&A.

• A WARM FAMILY DRAMA Director Cédric Kahn tells the story of a couple torn between two countries for a better life. A Better Life was screened at Fitaş 4 at 16.00 with the participation of director Kahn. Kahn stated: “I don’t believe in fate. Let’s think about what happens to the main character of the story. When he hit rock bottom, there became some changes in his life and his fortune reversed afterwards... Then we reached to a happy ending in the film!”

• A LOOK INTO FRANCE OF 1961! Awarded the second prize in Dubai, the film is about the protest of Algerians in 1961 in Paris. This protest was suppressed by the French government with violence. Here We Drown Algerians-October 17th 1961 told with the testimonies and archival footage was screened at Fitaş 1 at 16.00 with the participation of director Yasmina Adi. Director Adi stated: “I decided to make the film after my first film. Because the French are confused about the events Algerians suffered in Paris. France and Europe has an illness. We have to struggle until these events are placed into textbooks.”

• LOVE AND REVOLUTION IN THE NEW TURKISH CINEMA While listening to the radio in his student house, Kemal learns that “socialism” has collapsed. Despite this fact, the revolutionary organisation, which Kemal is a member of, is determined to continue struggling. Love and Revolution was screened at Beyoğlu Sineması at 16.00 with the participation of director Serkan Acar. Acar, answering the questions of the audience, stated: “Of course there is a lot of smoking in the film... Actually this is a symbol. Cigarettes and tea are used a lot because these two consumption materials are identified directly with socialism in our country!”

• A CINEMA MANIFESTO IN THE “INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION” The film is about a young film-maker who bears the pain of his brother’s loss with his love to cinema. Director Amir Naderi, actor Hidetoshi Nishijama and producer Engin Yenidünya were present for the screening of Cut at Atlas Sineması at 19.00. Amir Naderi stated: “I made a film in Iran, a film in the United States, and a film, which we just saw, in Japan. But I don’t think these are important because I am so happy to be here. And I am proud to dedicate my film to Yılmaz Güney here in this screening.”

• HUMAN RIGHTS IN CINEMA In this animation film, director Anca Damian tells the story of 33-year-old Claudiu Crulic who was passed away after the death fast in 2008 in Poland. For those who want to see the film and meet with the director, Crulic–The Path to Beyond were screened at Fitaş 4 at 19.00. Damian said: “This is not an animation, not a documentary, not a fiction film, but has elements from all of them. We tried to use humour sometimes for the audience to feel better. We made thorough researches to make this film. First I had thought to make this as a docu-drama, but later I decided that the animation form would be much fitting for this story, and also to avoid a talking heads style boring and misleading documentary.”

• SECOND DATE WITH THE STREET DOGS It is hard to know that how many films have focused on dogs so far. But director Serge Avédikian adapted the story of Istanbulite dogs, which we share the streets with in the city we live in, and how they position in the city life in the past and future to the screen. Catherine Pinguet, the writer, was present for the screening of Dogs Story at Fitaş 1 at 19.00. On the preparation period, Pinguet stated: “I actually made a comprehensive research on the topic apart from what I showed in the documentary. For example, I looked at the French press of the period published in Istanbul. I found many things. This is something happening in Istanbul since 1820s.”

• STORY OF WOMEN IN THE UNIVERSE OF FEAR What Remains on two women who try to stand still in the “Universe of fear” was screened at Beyoğlu Sineması at 19.00 with the participation of the director Çiğdem Vitrinel Özcan. On the film, Vitrinel Özcan stated: “We don’t want to show women as suffering and oppressed individuals. We rather preferred to show women as individuals who bring their sufferings into existence.”

• EASTERN EUROPEAN SPRING The film is about the elections in Ukraine in 2004 and the national drama called “Orange Revolution” after the elections. The documentary, Orange Winter, awarded in festivals was screened at Pera Museum at 19.00 with the participation of Andrei Zagdansky.

• WHAT BEYOND THE HILL HIDES Beyond the Hill competing in the “National Competition” category is the first feature film of the director Emin Alper after his short films “Rıfat” and “Mektup”. If you want to witness the tension between a provincial family and nomads setting their tents beyond the hill, this Anatolian story will be screened at Atlas Sineması at 21.30 with the participation of director Alper. Questions to Alper were mostly on the main character: “We should not surprise by the hallucinations... We worked on an individual, who made his military service in South East, for the film. Maybe you don’t understand his incoherent dreams, but it wouldn’t be too hard to understand his reasons. Our aim was to enlighten these kinds of situations that individuals go through!” At the screening where the whole cast and the crew was present, including the editor and the cast director, director Emin Alper replied questions regarding the origins of the film’s idea: “Years ago, I had written all this as a family drama, inspiring from the stories from my childhood. Later, in years, it transformed into something more allegorical, less autobiographical, and its present form.”

• STORY OF A LAWYER FROM TEHERAN Those who follow the cinema world will remember that director, apart from Jafar Panahi, Mohammad Rasoulof was also imprisoned and prohibited from shooting films. The story of the film has similarities to the director’s life. We watch the efforts of an Iranian female lawyer who lives in Teheran to leave the country. Goodbye was screened at Beyoğlu Sineması at 21.30 with the participation of the director Rasoulof. On the atmosphere of the film Rasoulof said: “We had the permission to make a film in Iran with another script. Therefore, I could not show the movie in its country. As you also sensed, this film has an atmosphere of a thriller. Of course, this was not something we reached by coincidence. If you assess the film with its topic once more, you will understand what I mean.”

• FOUR WOMEN, ONE STORY We watch the story of four women from different age groups and with different pasts along with the Egyptian Revolution. In the Shadow of a Man was screened at Pera Museum at 21.30 with the participation of the director. Abdalla stated: “This film was made on commission by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women ordered it... In this film, we used women with different characters in order to analyse what happened during the revolution from every perspective and positions.”

• A SURPRISE PANEL The situation in Syria is getting more and more serious. Social media actors and filmmakers are most aware of the current situation which changes almost hourly. Quite involved with the Syrian situation, Orwa Nyrabia (Damascus DocBox Festival organizer, Filmmaker, Producer, Archivist) will be presenting youtube videos and finished films from Syria to give us an update from this country.

• SCREENINGS WITH BitamBiöğrenci PROJECT CONTINUE! Guests of the screenings met with the students within the project yesterday were present at the theatres and answered their questions. The first film screened Death of a Superhero by Ian FitzGibbon was at Fitaş 4 at 11.00. And the second film, a documentary, Dogs Story by Serge Avédikian was screened at Fitaş 1 at 19.00.

• MEETINGS ON THE BRIDGE First panels of the Meetings on the Bridge, which brings European and Turkish film makers together, was held at Akbank Sanat. The first event was Franz Rodenkirchen Master Class On Script Development and Evaluation between 10.30 and 13.00. The second seminar Transmedia – My 10 Transmendments / A Case Study Shankaboot was between 14.30 and 17.00.
Zeynep Dadak, the scriptwriter and director of “Mavi Dalga / Blue Wave” which is in shooting stage, and Tarık Tufan, the scriptwriter of “Yozgat Blues”, shared their experiences with script advisor Franz Rodenkirchen, who claimed that the prerequisite for working with a script advisor is the abolishment of hierarchy to ensure an environment with total equality, and that the scriptwriters must not expect a formula or a solution from the advisor.
Michel Reilhac explained the meaning of transmedia using the metaphor of the 10 commandments. He also claimed that feeding off live performances, documentaries, even computer games, transmedia could serve socially as to positively influence the behaviors of the society and individuals. Toni Oyry, one of the producers of the first online Arab series “Shankaboot,” stated that they were able to impress masses because they were able to tackle taboo issues, which they defined after much research.

• FESTIVAL EVENTS IN THE CITY After the Happy Hours in Cezayir between 17.00 and 18.30, we were at Istanbul Modern at 20.00 for the cocktail organised by Arte. After the cocktail ended at 22.00, we were at Kiki for the CUT the Sangria party of the film Cut. Celebrated names of cinema and press were present at the both events. Participators of the events assessed the competition films slowly by powerfully and started to make their minds on films.

TODAY AT THE FESTIVAL

• MAKE YOUR PROGRAMME IN ADVANCE There will be a number of events in the festival today. Determine your priorities not to get lost in the programme!

• MUSIC AND CINEMA WORKSHOP AT SALON A workshop will be given by acclaimed film music composer Nathan Larson, whose filmography includes Velvet Goldmine (contributed songs with Shudder To Think), Boys Don’t Cry, Lilja 4-ever, Storytelling, Dirty Pretty Things, Prozac Nation, Palindromes, Choke, The Messenger, Margin Call, and Silent House, together with renowned Turkish contemporary and electronic music composer Erdem Helvacıoğlu. Nathan Larson will focus mainly on the creation process and the artistic and aesthetic qualities of film music, whereas Helvacıoğlu will concentrate on the usage of music and sound design in films, mixing, arrangement and the more technical phases of the process. During the interactive session, they will also present samples of their earlier works. Helvacıoğlu, Larson and Nina Persson will also give a concert the same day on their upcoming album which they are working on. If you don’t want to miss the workshop, Workshop: Contemporary Music For Film - The Subtle Art will be at Salon İKSV at 12.00.

• FOR THOSE WHO DID NOT GET ENOUGH OF MUSIC IN THE WORKSHOP Following the Contemporary Music for Film Workshop, film music composer Nathan Larson and Turkish contempo and electronic music composer Erdem Helvacıoğlu will be joined by Nina Persson, the world famous, multi-platinum selling singer of the The Cardigans and A Camp, to give an exclusive concert under the band name 777. With Nina Persson on vocals, Nathan Larson will be playing the electric bass and synthesizers, where Erdem Helvacıoğlu will be playing the electric guitar, the Togaman GuitarViol and controlling the live electronics. 777 will be at Salon İKSV at 21.00. The concert will be at Salon İKSV at 21.00

• “FILMING REVOLUTION” Istanbul Film Festival will hold a roundtable discussion with key filmmakers, scholars, archivists, and historians, to hash out the main hurdles and to perhaps illuminate the most creative solutions they have encountered to the challenges of filming revolution. Khaled Fahmy, Orwa Nyrabia, Agnes Devictor, director Hanan Abdalla, Morad Ben Cheikh, Andrei Zagdansky, and academician Alisa Lebow will participate to the meeting. Round Table: Filming Revolution will be at Pera Museum at 16.00.

• THREE MEN IN THE FAMILY Director Caner Erzincan’s film focuses on three men of a family by the border living in a small town. Mar / Snake in the New Turkish Cinema section will be screened at Beyoğlu Sineması at 11.00 with the participation of the director Erzincan.

• REVOLUTION FROM THE EYES OF WOMEN Director Hanan Abdalla looks at the Egyptian Revolution from a different angle and tells the story of four women, Wafaa, Suzanne, Shahinda, and Bedriya, through the protests on Tahrir Square. In the Shadow of a Man will be screened at Pera Museum at 11.00 with the participation of the director Abdalla.

• BACK HOME FROM EXILE The film is the story of the return of a family, which was forced to migrate and left their homeland three generations ago, to their village. Director M. Tayfur Aydın will participate to the screening of İz-Rêç / The Trace at Atlas Sineması at 13.30.

• BETWEEN FICTION AND REALITY FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A DOCUMENTARIST Hail focuses on a couple who projects their real life to the silver screen. Director Amiel Courtin-Wilson will be present for the screening. The film is on the fine line between reality and fiction. The screening will be at Fitaş 1 at 13.30.

• WHAT YOU DEMOLISH IS ACTUALLY THE WALL OF FEAR! First feature documentary on Tunisian Revolution, No More Fear is premiered at Cannes. The documentary combines images from the protests overthrowing 24 years of dictatorship of President Bin Ali and starting the Arab Spring and key people of the revolution. Director Mourad Ben Cheikh will be present for the screening at Pera Museum at 13.30.

• DELTA IN BOTSWANA What do prophecy, memory and traditional beliefs mean to man who lives way beyond them? The River Used to Be a Man focuses on the issue. Director Jan Zabeil will be present in the screening at Fitaş 1 at 16.00 for the Q&A! Let us recall that Alexander Fehling from the international competition jury has the leading role of the film.

• A JOURNEY FROM ISTANBUL TO KARAMAN Directors Tamer Yiğit and Branka Prlic tell the story of the new generation in Turkey who wants to get rid of the burden of their ancestors and live the life as they want. Karaman will be screened at Beyoğlu Sineması at 16.00 with the participation of the directors.

• AT ISTANBUL AFTER THE PREMIERE IN ROTTERDAM! After “On the Way to School”, Orhan Eskiköy and Zeynel Doğan are in the festival programme with another film adapted from a real life story, but this time with the story of the director Zeynel Doğan’s family. Voice of My Father will be screened at Atlas Sineması at 19.00 with the participation of the directors. Voice of My Father had won two awards at 5th Meetings on the Bridge. You can reach the special interview with the directors here .

• AN OSCAR NOMINATED PRODUCTION IN “DOCUMENTARY TIME WITH NTV” Terraferma awarded in festival was Academy Awards nominee for Italy this year. The film focuses on moral choices as well as standing upright in traditional societies. The documentary will be screened at Fitaş 4 at 19.00 with the participation of director Emanuele Crialese.

• YOUNG SAVAGES FROM SCANDINAVIA Based on real events Savage looks for an answer to the question “Why?” but goes deeper: Why do we try to understand the evil? We will see Kim’s effort to run away from the evil in his blood. The screening will be at 19.00 at Fitaş 1 with the participation of Martin Jern and Emil Larsson.

• SOTIRIS AND DORA AGAINST THE WORLD Interrogation officer Sotiris decides to forgive the entire wretch who suffers from the blows of misfortune. He even takes the risk and commits a murder. Dora learns about the murder and their ways cross after this incident... Unfair World will be screened at Beyoğlu Sineması at 19.00. Antonis Kafetzopoulos, one of the lead actors, will participate to the screening for Q&A.

• UNEASINESS AT CAUCASIAN MOUNTAINS Premiered in Locarno Film Festival, The Loneliest Planet with Gael Garcia Bernal as the leading actor will strike the audience with significant use of space and striking performances. Director Julia Loktev will participate to the screening at Atlas Sineması at 21.30. The film is competing for Golden Tulip in the International Competition.

• FIVE PEOPLE IN A BARN In his first feature film on “xenophobia,” director Oğuz Çiçek tells the story of Orhan who lives his life on high plateau of Trabzon after his wife has been murdered. The Other Way will be screened at Beyoğlu Sineması at 21.30 with the participation of the director.

• CUT ONCE MORE Cut competing in the “International Competition” category focuses on a young filmmaker who aims to change the world through cinema. Director Amir Naderi adapts a cinema manifest to the silver screen with the actor Hidetoshi Nishijama playing the young filmmaker who resists to physical pain by his love for cinema. The film will be screened at Nişantaşı Citylife City’s at 21.30 with the participation of the director and the actor.

• A VIRTUOSO AT FESTIVAL THEATRES Director Bertan Başaran carries Barbaras Erköse, who worked with significant names of Turkish Classical Music, to the silver screen. Erköse turned his clarinet into a means of self expression while performing his music... The rest of the story, Can’t Live Without You, can be watched at Pera Museum at 21.30 with the participation of Bertan Başaran.

• TODAY AT “MEETINGS ON THE BRIDGE” Do you have a project on children films or scripts? Don’t miss the panel discussion with the participation of Fleur Winters, professionals and TV planning director of Cinekid Children’s Film Festival with awarded Holland children films, producers, directors, and scriptwriters, organised with the cooperation of Eye Film Institute Netherlands. Panel Discussion: Children’s Films? Why Not! will be at Akbank Sanat at 14.30!

• BitamBiöğrenci MEETS WITH MAGIC Multi-awarded The Magicians by Joram Lürsen will meet with the students within social responsibility project BitamBiöğrenci by İKSV. The film screening will be at Akbank Sanat at 11.00 for those who want to see the film with the students.

TOMORROW AT THE FESTIVAL

• GOODBYE IRAN! Director Mohammad Rasoulof focuses on an Iranian woman in the film. He shaped the whole story on the Iranian lawyer and her efforts to find visa out of the country with a dark expression. Goodbye will be screened at Atlas Sineması at 11.00 with the participation of director Rasoulof.

• A HARSH STORY FROM THE SWEDISH YOUTH The film is about Kim’s efforts to escape from evil in his blood in Scandinavia where crimes become trivialised. Will Kim succeed? Savage will be screened at Fitaş 4 at 11.00 with the participation of directors Martin Jern and Emil Larsson.

• KADİFE ANA AT FESTIVAL THEATRES There are only two things that matter for the main character Kadife Ana: Sustaining her breed and protecting the safety of her son... Out of competition screening of Velvet will be at Beyoğlu Sineması at 11.00 with the participation of director Erdoğan Kar.

• A JOURNEY FROM ISTANBUL TO MUĞLA 800 Km Hurdles is the story of two disabled friends who travelled from Istanbul to Muğla on a motorcycle and a passenger basket. The film will be screened at Pera Museum at 11.00 for those who want to see the film with the director Murat Erün.

• IT IS HARD TO WAIT FOR A DELAY Maria leaves her father on a bench far away in the suburbs due to economical problems. However, she regrets what she has done on her way home and looks for shelter for his father. Screening of the “International Competition” film Delay will be at Fitaş 4 at 13.30 with the participation of producer Sandino Saravia.

• FRENCH TEACHER TO VILLAGERS! In the summer of 1998, villagers wait for the first foreign English teacher of the village. But they confused the French tourist Julie, who finds herself there by mistake... Screening of the One Day or Another will be at Beyoğlu Sineması at 13.30 and there will be a Q&A with the participation of director Ali Vatansever.

• TWO SPECIAL SCREENINGS AT PERA! There will be two consecutive screenings at Pera Museum after 13.30. Life as a Fable a Narrative and Tell Me-Tattoos/Laments/Stories will be screened. Director of “Life...”, Hüseyin Karabey and directors of “Tell Me”, Uğraş Salman and Mehmet Sait Tunç will be present for the screenings.

• I FLEW, YOU STAYED “We talked about my father with my nana secretly. My grandfather did not want us to talk about him. He used to use swear words for him. After a while, I started not talking about him as if he never existed...” National Competition film I Flew, You Stayed by Mizgin Müjde Arslan will be screened at Atlas Sineması at 16.00.

• PARTICIPATION TO FACE FROM FRANCE A family man, Marécaux and his wife were arrested together with twelve people for sexual harassment of children in 2001 in a small French village called Outrea. Marécaux fights to prove his innocence. Guilty by director Vincent Garenq will be at Fitaş 4 at 16.00.

• SICILIAN VISITORS OF “HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE CINEMA” Director Emanuele Crialese tells the story of fisher family which takes an Ethiopian woman and her child into their homes after they were rescued from a wrecked ship. The film will be screened at Fitaş 1 at 16.00 with the participation of director Crialese.

• AN AMAZING ANIMATED FILM! Screening of the gripping animation considered as “one of the most creative and poetic French films of the year” by LePoint the magazine will be at Beyoğlu Sineması at 16.00. Director Jean-François Laguionie will participate to the screening of The Painting and answer questions. Besides, students will watch the film within the BitamBiöğrenci project.

• WAITING FOR THE EARTHQUAKE Waiting is a document made with the aim of noting down on the history “in today’s world where we forget or are made to forget everything quickly” with Bülent Öztürk’s words and keeping the memory alive. The documentary will be screened at Pera Museum at 16.00 with the participation of director Öztürk.

• INSIDE AND WHAT’S HIDDEN IN IT Director Zeki Demirkubuz focuses on the existential problems of the individual around the character created based on “Notes from the Undergroud” by Dostoyevsky. Inside will be screened at Atlas Sineması at 19.00 with the participation of the director Demirkubuz.

• TWILIGHT ZONE AT THE FESTIVAL! The main theme of the film involves transformation of Marina from a high class social worker to femme fatale after she was raped. Director Angelina Nikonova and actor Olga Dihovichnaya will participate to screening of Twilight Portrait at Fitaş 1 at 19.00

• A DOCUMENTARY VISIT TO THE NEIGHBOUR 1+8 is a documentary on Turkey and her eight neighbours. By visiting the eight borders of Turkey, we meet different lands and people. For the screening at Pera Museum at 19.00, director Angelika Brudniak and Cynthia Madansky will be present.

• A CALL FROM THE ISLAND Whispers of Dead Zone is the first feature film by Fırat Çağrı Beyaz. The film aims to have a creative artistic call not only for the audience in Turkey and Cyprus but for the whole world for the peaceful solution of the Cyprus problem. Director Beyaz will participate to the screening at Beyoğlu Sineması at 21.30.

• MASTER CLASS FROM THE HEAD OF JURY Head of Jury for the “National Competition”, Nuri Bilge Ceylan will give a master class. Director will share his perspective on cinema with participators at his Master Class: Nuri Bilge Ceylan at Salon İKSV at 16.00 by using clips from his film “Once Upon a Time in Anatolia”, which received many more awards after Cannes.

• DISCUSSION ON VAN AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE The panel discussion with Bülent Öztürk, director of “Waiting”, and a number of speakers: Zozan Özgökçe (VAKAD), Şennaz Uzun (Van Çocuk Evi-Van Children’ House), Feryal Öney (Kardeş Türküler) with documentarist Elif Ergezen as moderator. The panel discussion will be held at Pera Museum at 16.00.

• TOWARDS THE END OF “MEETINGS ON THE BRIDGE” There will be two events at Akbank Sanat today within the programme of “Meetings on the Bridge”. Workshop On Project Development, And Preparing For The Best Pitch will be between 09.30 and13.00 while Turkey - Holland Co-Productions will be between 14.30 and 16.30. At the end of the day, award ceremony for the “Meetings on the Bridge” will be held Netherlands Consulate at 19.00.