‘Ice Cream, I Scream’ awarded in US festival

The Turkish comedy film “Dondurmam Gaymak” (Ice Cream, I Scream), the debut feature-length film by director Yüksel Aksu, was named the best foreign language film at the US Comedy Arts Festival (USCAF) in Aspen, Colorado. The festival, sponsored by the US TV station HBO, marked its 13th anniversary this year between Feb. 28 and March 3.

“Dondurmam Gaymak,” the comic story of a local ice cream vendor striving to survive against giant ice cream companies in the 1990s in an Aegean village, was Turkey’s entry in this year’s Oscars as a nominee for the best foreign film category, but did not make the shortlist of the final five nominees that run for the coveted award. The film beat such strong contenders as “12:08 East of Bucharest” in the film program of USCAF, which featured 30 feature-length films, 20 shorts and four world premieres. The festival also awards live comedy performances.