62nd International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival

The 62nd International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival will take place from October 24 to November 2, 2025. This prestigious event will feature international premieres, social narratives, and children's films, which continues its legacy as one of the country's most prestigious cinema events. 

National Feature Film Competition

A total of 12 films will compete in the National Feature Film Competition. The pre-selection committee, comprised of Prof. Dr. Nazlı Eda Noyan, Founding Chair of the Cartoon and Animation Department at Bahçeşehir University's Faculty of Communication; Hüseyin Kuzu, screenwriter and academic; and Suncem Koçer, Associate Professor at Koç University's Department of Media and Visual Arts, represents diverse filmmaking approaches and a rich narrative diversity.

Films in the National Feature Competition: 

The Breath We Take, Aldığımız Nefes

Ties, Bağlar,

Roots and Passions, Kökler ve Tutkular

Barcelona, ​​

Fragments from the East, Doğudan Fragmanlar

The Most Beautiful Funeral Songs, En Güzel Cenaze Şarkıları

Early Winter, Erken Kış

Kanto, 

Noir, 

Like a Felled Tree, Kesilmiş Bir Ağaç Gibi

Fragmented Years, Parçalı Yıllar,

Mercy from the Owner, Sahibinden Rahmet

Rabbit Empire., Tavşan İmparatorluğu.

Categories: Best Film, Dr. Avni Tolunay Special Jury Prize, Behlül Dal Best First Film Award, Best Director, Cahide Sonku Award, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Music, Best Editing, Best Art Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Supporting Actor.

Ten films will have their Turkish premieres at the festival.

The lineup includes:

“Mad Bills to Pay,” directed by Joel Alfonso Vargas, exploring class struggle, coming of age, and family dynamics.

“Urchin,” by Harris Dickinson, which premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes and won the FIPRESCI Award, following a homeless man’s life on the streets of London.

“Adam’s Sake,” directed by Laura Wandel, a mother–child drama that examines institutional empathy and judgment, first shown in La Semaine de la Critique at Cannes.

“A Poet,” by Simon Mesa Soto, portraying the life of a quiet poet in Medellin, premiered in Un Certain Regard at Cannes 2025.

“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” written and directed by Mary Bronstein, a psychological dark comedy that made its debut at Sundance 2025.

“Confidante,” directed by Cagla Zencirci and Guillaume Giovanetti, starring Saadet Isil Aksoy, a co-production between Türkiye, France, and Luxembourg. The film tells the story of a woman working on 900 hotlines in the 1990s whose life changes after a mysterious call.

“Mother’s Baby,” the fourth feature by Johanna Moder, about a 40-year-old orchestra conductor confronting her personal and professional limits.

“The Currents,” directed by Milagros Mumenthaler, depicting the inner life of a successful Argentine artist named Lina.

“Divine Comedy,” directed by Ali Asgari, which premiered in Venice’s Orizzonti section, following a filmmaker’s struggle against censorship while finishing his last work.

“Otec (Father),” directed by Tereza Nvotova, a Slovak family drama and the country’s Oscar entry, portraying the lives of Michal, Zuzana, and their daughter Dominika.

Winners will be announced during an award ceremony on November 1, 2025.

'From Borders to Limitlessness': Selection dedicated to Palestine

A special section titled “From Borders to Limitlessness” will bring together five films that reflect on human resilience and displacement through the lens of Middle Eastern and North African filmmakers.

This year, the selection focuses on Palestine, offering a cinematic response to loss, resistance, and collective memory.

The lineup includes:

“Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk,” directed by Sepideh Farsi, depicting life under Israeli military occupation in Gaza.

“A Sad and Beautiful World,” by Cyril Aris, set in Beirut and telling a thirty-year love story intertwined with grief and hope. The film had its world premiere at Venice’s Giornate degli Autori section and will be shown in Türkiye for the first time.

“The Voice of Hind Rajab,” directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, which won the Grand Jury Prize at Venice after premiering in the festival’s main competition. The film gives voice to Hind, a five-year-old girl killed in Gaza, turning her memory into a symbol of silenced innocence.

“Promised Sky,” directed by Erige Sehiri, portraying three women who migrate from Cote d’Ivoire to Tunisia in search of a better life. The film was nominated for several awards in Cannes’s Un Certain Regard section.

“All That’s Left of You,” directed by Cherien Dabis, a multigenerational Palestinian family saga exploring collective trauma and inherited memory. After its premiere at Sundance 2025 and its Best International Feature win at the Sydney Film Festival, it was screened out of competition at Cannes and will have its Türkiye premiere in Antalya.

Festival organizers described the program as an invitation to “witness the pain of Palestine through the language of art,” reaffirming Antalya’s role as a meeting point for politically conscious cinema.

Golden Orange's new program for young audiences

For the first time, the Golden Orange will host a children’s film program, screening at 10:30 a.m. daily throughout the festival.

The initiative aims to introduce young audiences in Antalya to international cinema through fun and thought-provoking stories.

Seven films were selected for the children’s program:

“Mustafa Kemal,” about a group of friends traveling through time to witness Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s journey from his military school years in Thessaloniki to the Italo-Turkish War.

“Buffalo Kids,” following two siblings who recently migrated from Ireland to New York as they navigate the city’s bustling streets.

“Les As de la Jungle 2” (The Jungle Bunch: World Tour), a French animation about a team of animals saving a forest from danger.

“Zak & Wowo, la legende de Lendarys” (Twin Team), the adventure of Zak searching for his missing twin brother.

“Arco,” the story of a 10-year-old from a peaceful future who accidentally travels back to 2075 and discovers a dangerous world, screening in Türkiye for the first time.

Two short documentaries will also be shown for children: “HOP Hayal Gucu Oyun Parki” (HOP Imagination Playground), about volunteers building play areas in earthquake-hit Hatay, and “Hayatin Cizgisi” (Line of Life), which follows young surfers in Samandag rebuilding their lives after the disaster.

Since its founding in 1964, the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival has served as Türkiye’s most internationally recognized film event, bridging regional cinema with global audiences. The 62nd edition promises to uphold that legacy, combining artistic excellence with humanitarian storytelling.

The festival’s international competition, Palestine-themed selection, and new children’s section reflect a wider cinematic landscape—one that seeks to engage with both contemporary realities and universal human experiences.

Festival jury president Ömer Vargı[1] said global cinema is going through a period of major change, adding that including Palestinian films in the selection is a meaningful gesture amid ongoing conflicts.

Art director Deniz Yavuz announced that the jury will include film critic Sevin Okyay, art director Zeynep Koloğlu, cinematographer and producer Aydın Sarıoğlu, musician Mircan Kaya, actor Beren Saat and director-actor Engin Alkan.

Actors Settar Tanrıöğen and Serap Aksoy will receive lifetime achievement awards, while Feride Çiçekoğlu will be honored with the contribution award. Merve Dizdar, Selahattin Paşalı and Cansu Baydar will receive achievement awards.

A total of 104 local and international films will be screened during the 10-day event showcasing productions from various countries including the United States, Germany, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Czechia, France, Iran, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Colombia, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia, and Türkiye. 

The centerpiece remains the highly competitive National Feature Film Competition, featuring a strong lineup of twelve Turkish cinematic works vying for recognition. Among the eagerly anticipated entries are «Aldığımız Nefes» and «Bağlar, Kökler ve Tutkular». Complementing this domestic focus, the International Competition will present eleven carefully curated films. The inclusion of these works, sourced from diverse nations across Europe and Asia, underscores the festival’s enduring commitment to its global status and cross-cultural exchange.

Beyond the excitement of the competitive categories, the schedule incorporates numerous professional development activities. These include specialized masterclasses and insightful panel discussions focusing on critical topics such as ensuring the sustainable development of the film industry and the practical implementation of cutting-edge technologies, including innovative immersive formats, into modern storytelling techniques.

[1] Ömer Vargı, who will serve as President of the National Feature Jury at the 62nd International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, has directed more than 1,500 commercials throughout his career. Vargı began his film career in 1974 by working on Yılmaz Güney and Şerif Gören's film "Endişe" (Anxiety). He then served as Şerif Gören's assistant on "Earthquake," "Taxi Driver," and "River."

Vargı attracted attention in the film world by producing the 1983 film "Günin Eclipduğu Gün" (The Day the Sun Eclipsed) and the 1993 film "Amerika." In 1996, he produced "Eşkıya," which reached over 3 million viewers, becoming a turning point in Turkish cinema history and sparking a major revival in the industry. The film was also nominated for an Oscar. Vargı, who reached a wide audience as a producer and director with the 1998 film "Everything Will Be Very Beautiful," continued his success in 2003 with "Construction." He also served as a producer on Yavuz Turgul's Oscar-nominated film "Gönül Yarası" (Gonul Yarası), released in 2005, and as both producer and director on the 2007 film "Kabadayı."

In 2009, Vargı produced the TV series "Cam Kırıkları" (Broken Glass), directed the film "Anatolian Eagles" (Eagle's Eagles) in 2011. He reprised his role as producer and director on the 2014 film "On Yılda Bir İnşaat" (A Construction in Ten Years).

Ömer Vargı was also awarded the "Lifetime Achievement Award" at the 55th International Antalya Film Festival in 2018.

In his book "I'm Also Here in This Film," published in 2024, Vargı shared his journey in Turkish cinema, his behind-the-scenes experiences, and his unforgettable memories from the industry with readers.

A Prehistory of Turkish Cinema

1895-96 (October 1895 - February 1896) VAFÍADÍS, one of Istanbul's famous photographers, requested information from the Lumiere Brothers regarding "cinematographe

1896 (Summer) The Lumiere Brothers' buyer, director PR0MIO, shot short films in Istanbul: Défilé de l'infanterie turque_ (The Parade of the Turkish Infantry), Artillerie turque (The Turkish Artillery), Panorama de la Corned'Or (Panorama of the Golden Horn), Panorama des rives'du Bosphore (Panorama of the Bosphorus).

1896-99 The Lumiere Brothers' leading directors (MESGUICH, D0UBLIER, M0ISS0N, PERRIG0T) passed through Türkiye. • 1896-97 (late 1896 - early 1897) Film performances by the court juggler 'BERTRAND' at the Yildiz Palace.

Early 1897: WEINBERG's first public cinema screenings (First at the "Sponeck Beer Hall" and the "Concordia" on the Beyoğlu side, then at the "Fevziye" Renthouse on the Istanbul side)

1897: A Jewish man from Istanbul named MATALON rented a room in the Luxembourg Apartments (later the "Saray Cinema" block) and showed films.

1898 - Film screenings at the Variétés Circus and Salon in Beyoğlu by Camborne.

1900 - Film screenings at the Odéon Theater in Beyoğlu.

1908 (Summer) WEINBERG opened the first established cinema, the Pathe, in Tepebaşı.

1910 Fuat UZKINAY and Sakir SEDEN organized film screenings at the Istanbul Sultanisi (the first cinema in the school).

1912 - A built-in cinema opened in Kordonboyu, Izmir.

1914 - The "Ciné Palace" (Palas Cinema) opened in Beyoğlu, and the "Ciné Magic" (Majik Cinema) opened in Taksim.

1914 (July 6) Sakir and Kemal SEDEN. The brothers and Uzkinay opened the Ali Efendi Cinema in Sirkeci, and soon afterward the Kemal Bey Cinema in Demirkapi.

1914 (November 14) Uzkinay made the first Turkish film, The Demolition of the Russian Monument in San Stefano.

1895-96 (1895 Ekim - 1896 . Subat arasi) Ístanbul'un unlü fotografçilarindan VAFÍADÍS, Lumiere Kardesler'den "cinématographe" . konusunda, bilgi istedi.

1896 (Yaz) Lumiere Kardesler'in alici, yõnetmenlerinden PR0MIO Istanbul'da kisa filimler --çevirdi: Défilé de l'infanterie turque_ (Türk piyadesinin geçit tõreni), Artillerie turque (Türk topçusu), Panorama de la Corne d'Or ( Haliç'in panoramasi,), Panorama des rives'du Bosphore ( Bogaziçi kiyilarinin panoramasi).

1896-99 Lumiere Karde9ler'in aloci yõnetmenleri (MESGUICH,

D0UBLIER, M0ISS0N, PERRIG0T) Türkiye'den geçtiler.

1896-97 (1896 sonu - 1897 • basi) Yildiz - Sarayi'nda saray hokkabazi 'BERTRAND'm sinema gõsterileri.

1897(baslari) WEINBERG'in halka ilk sinema   gõsterileri (Õnce , Beyoglu yakasindaki "Sponeck· Birahanesi" ile "Concordia" da, sonra Ístanbul . yakasindaki "Fevziye” Kiraathanesinde)

1897 MATAL0N adinda-Ístànbul'lu bir Musevi Luxembourg

Apartmanlarinda (daha sonra "Saray Sinemas" blok) bir oda_ kiralayarak filim gosterdi.

1898 - CAMB0N'un Beyoglu'ndaki' "Variétés Sirk ve Salonunda sinema gõsterileri.

1900 Beyoglu'ndaki _ "0déon Tiyatrosu ‘nda sinema gosterileri.

1908 (Yaz) WEINBERG Tepebasi'nda ilk. yerlesik sinema olan Pathe’yi acti

1910 Fuat UZKINAY ile Sakir SEDEN_ "Ístanbul Sultanisi’nde filim gõsterileri düzenlediler (0kulda ilk sinema).

1912 izmir'de Kordonboyu'nda yerleik sinema açildi.

1914 Beyoglu'nda "Ciné Palace" (Palas Sinemasi), Taksim'de "Ciné Magic'' (Majik Sinemasi) açildi.

1914 (6 Temmuz) Sakir ve Kemal SEDEN . Kardesler ile UZKINAY Sirkeci'de "Ali Efendi Sinemasi"ni, az sonra Demirkapi'da "Kemal Bey Sinemasi’ni açtilar.

1914 (14 Kasim) UZKINAY, ilk Türk filmi Ayastefanos'taki Rus Abidesinin Yikilisi’ni- çevirdi .

Now it's time to rewatch his films and LOVE Metin Erksan again!

Metin Erksan (January 1, 1929 – August 4, 2012), born İsmail Metin Karamanbey, was a Turkish film director and art historian.

Now it's time to rewatch his films and LOVE Metin Erksan again!

Şimdi filmlerini tekrar izleme ve Metin Erksan’ı tekrar SEVME ZAMANI!

SOURCE IN TURKISH Gizem Ertürk – Yeşil Gazete

Sadi Çilingir – Film Critic

Metin Erksan is one of our cinema's most original directors. "Time to Love" alone is enough to count him among the most important directors not only in our country but also in world cinema. A film like "Time to Love" will never be made again, even in world cinema.

 

 Alper Turgut – Film Critic

Metin Erksan is undoubtedly one of the greatest losses of Turkish cinema. If we still can't call it a national cinema, it's because he and other talented, original directors, who were in love with the magic of cinema, have been alienated. Censorship, the failure to establish filmmaking laws, and the negative impacts on the industry forced Metin Erksan out of the director's chair too early. The director of Susuz Yaz, Yılanların Öcü (Revenge of the Snakes), and Kuyu (The Well), retired from filmmaking at his most productive, his masterful age.

 

No, of course not. How could I forget Sevmek Zamanı (Time to Love)? Selvi Boylum (The Girl with the Red Scarf) is a good love story, but Sevmek Zamanı (Time to Love) is the most beautiful and special of our love stories; it's the pinnacle. Akad, Güney, Yılmaz, Kavur, Refiğ, and finally Erksan… All the colors of our cinema's past are fading. Naturally, a new generation emerged, followed by today's directors. In Metin Erksan's absence, the number of genres increased, and productions that surpassed mediocrity were produced, but his absence was always felt. Yesterday, I watched "Time to Love" again, and I fell in love with your painting, not with you, the man said. Yesterday, as more directors fall in love with the seventh art of cinema, not with box office or fame, future filmmakers will understand Metin Erksan better, because he chose the difficult, not the easy, and he chose to make films, not to make them. 

 Yeşim Tabak – Film Critic

More than anything else, the memory of Yeşilçam is romanticized as a kind of "labor." By this, we mean a knack for producing a lot in a short time, for making progress with immediate practical solutions and compromises, simply saying "as much as it is..." Or a Turkish "finishing" approach that doesn't distinguish an artist from a shopkeeper, a worker, or a student of "Hababam Sınıfı." When I think of Metin Erksan's cinema, I'm reminded of concerns and desires rarely seen in this land (and which have drawn criticism due to their very assertiveness): perfectionism, the quest for originality/newness, the courage to surprise people, a celebration of the "surreal" and the poetic, a different kind of labor spent during a long preparatory process based on "thinking" and not limited to action on the set... I'm so glad Erksan existed. His unique place in our cinematic history has always been a source of inspiration and a branch of support for audiences interested in the "avant-garde" (especially those from the generations that followed). While I'm not going to claim he's a feminist, Metin Erksan holds an interesting place in Turkish cinema history for his efforts to understand female characters. In my opinion, his best film is "The Well," which possesses an almost fairytale-like atmosphere with its effortless minimalism. My favorites, with their peculiar "unlikeness," are "Sevmek Zamanı" (Time to Love) and "Kadın Hamlet." 

 Selim Güneş – Director

As a filmmaker, my heart ached for Metin Erksan, the director of films like "Susuz Yaz," "Sevmek Zamanı," "Revenge of the Snakes," and "The Well." I've said this before in an interview: he's the director who has influenced me the most.

I remember an interview where Metin Erksan said that a filmmaker must, above all else, be responsible. This approach is why we recognize him as a master filmmaker.

The three films that have influenced me most are "The Well," "The Well," and "Efesi of Dokuz Dağın." I believe the impact of "Efesi of Dokuz Dağın" has something to do with the era in which I watched the film. I believe Fikret Hakan was the hero of my childhood. Fikret Hakan is the hero of my childhood.

But "The Well" and "The Well" are films that made me say, "I want to make films like this." And the emotions they both evoke are very powerful. For me, cinema, more than anything else, is the "emotion of cinema." The cinematography in both films is also impressive. Especially "The Well"... 

 Hasan Tolga Pulat – Director

I've always loved Turkish films... The phrase, "Whether you turn up your nose at them as much as you like, they're always very precious to me," is "You're as impudent as you are beautiful."

Yeşilçam's melodramatic world, with all its sincerity, naivety, hope, and the sharp distinction between black and white, told me a fairy tale. When I entered film school, I discovered another side of Turkish cinema. In this world, I began to encounter the films of directors like Ömer Lütfi Akad, Atıf Yılmaz, Yılmaz Güney, and Metin Erksan. These directors' cinema was far beyond the fairy tales I'd heard from Turkish cinema until then. Their detached perspectives on their stories, their realistic and harsh styles, their antiheroes, and their unhappy endings gave me a more concrete reflection of life. They began to create a more mature world of ideas in my mind. They lifted me out of the naive world of my childhood and made me aware of the existence of a challenging, uncanny world.

Thanks to these films, I began to grow. As we began to lose these great filmmakers, one by one, we also began to lose a generation. A generation that had managed to impose its visual and auditory worlds on Turkish cinema and its audience without being perceived as out of place. These individuals were not only filmmakers but also philosophers who profoundly understood and eloquently described their society and era. When I heard the news of the death of Metin Erksan, perhaps the last of these philosophers, I was heartbroken to know that this generation, which had contributed so much to the evolution of Turkish cinema, had now passed. I wish he had made more films, that I could have been part of one of those films, and I was saddened by the end of my dreams. I immediately thought of the film "Susuz Yaz" (Susuz Yaz), which I saw as part of the Traveling Film Festival in Izmir. Its profoundly realistic story reveals all the reflexes of society. Witnessing the young Hülya Koçyiğit, in her debut, deliver a realistic performance perhaps never achieved again in her career, experiencing the justified pride of watching Erol Taş in the lead role, and seeing the harsh, manipulative, and ruthless atmosphere of the world convey universal implications through the Anatolian people, made the film an unforgettable one. I remember leaving the festival feeling initially surprised and then thrilled by this film, which differed from most Turkish films I'd seen. The reason why the cold, distant, and at times surreal story in "Time to Love" transformed into a love story that resonated with me as much as any other romantic drama was Metin Erksan's exceptionally successful balance between modern cinematic language and classical cinematic conventions. The fantasy universe and the eerie, unsettling atmosphere of "The Well" were more reminiscent of European films than Turkish ones. Losing this great master, one of the last representatives of a generation that would always preserve its originality by breaking all the molds of Turkish cinema, changing and transforming all the habits of the Turkish audience, will always create a feeling of orphanhood that Turkish cinema will always feel. 

 Nizam Eren – Cinema Projects and Communications Consultant

If you're a kid, you remember the actors of a film you watched and were captivated by, you imitate them, you can't stop thinking about every frame, you hum the music, you rave about it to every kid in the neighborhood. Those films were actually directed by someone, and you realize it when you grow up.

Metin Erksan made the best of these films. He's the director of those films that impressed you as a child. He's the man thousands of graduating film students aspire to be.

We knew him as a man who read extensively, researched extensively, tried the unconventional and the untried, and pioneered many things. We also knew him as "the man who hasn't made films in 30 years."

"Revenge of the Snakes" was caught up in the censorship of the times. "Susuz Yaz" was caught up in the censorship of the times. Everything he did was somehow cut. Let me tell you what: In 1963, Metin Erksan adapted Necati Cumali's novel "DRY SUMMER" for the screen. Despite the censorship board's ban on the film's participation in the festival, it (ILLEGALLY) traveled to Berlin and won the Golden Bear.

(The film, initially allowed to go abroad, requested permission to participate in the festival, but when the board reconvened and banned it on the grounds that it "showed Turkey in a bad light.")

Despite this, the film smuggled into Berlin and, as is well known, won the Golden Bear, the highest award. Upon returning home, the Ministry of Culture threw the team a celebratory cocktail reception, as if they hadn't banned it. Not content with the cocktail reception, they also awarded awards to Erol Taş, Metin Erksan, and Hülya Koçyiğit.

Everyone wondered why he hadn't made films since he was 53. He hadn't made films since he was 53, a full 30 years. That's the kind of man Metin Erksan was. May he shine brightly...

Now it's time to rewatch his films and LOVE Metin Erksan again!

Şimdi filmlerini tekrar izleme ve Metin Erksan’ı tekrar SEVME ZAMANI!

Competiton Films of 36. Ankara Film Festival

This year, eight films will compete in the National Feature Film Competition, chaired by director, screenwriter, and producer Mahmut Fazıl Coşkun. The jury also includes production designer Aslı Dadak, producer Diloy Gülün, actress Hasibe Eren, and editor Osman Bayraktaroğlu.

The festival's Film-Direction Jury, comprised of Cengiz Özkarabekir, Handan Öztürk, and Leyla Yılmaz, will determine the Best Director Award. The Turkish Cinema Critics Association (SİYAD) jury includes Ekrem Buğra Büte, Selin Gürel, and Senem Erdine. This jury will select the winner of the SİYAD Best Film Award.

The National Documentary Film Competition, in which seven documentaries will compete, will include writer, director, and producer Andreas Treske; director and writer Tuluhan Tekelioğlu; and artist and academic Zeyno Pekünlü.

Competiton Films of 36. Ankara Film Festival

Emine Emel Balcı "Buradayım, İyiyim / Here I Am, I Am Good" 

Hasan Tolga Pulat  "Parçalı Yıllar / Partial Years," 

Mustafa Emin Büyükcoşkun and Semih Gülen "Atlet / Athlete" 

Özkan Çelik  "Perde" 

Seyfettin Tokmak  "Tavşan İmparatorluğu / Rabbit Empire",

Şeyhmus Altun  "Aldığımız Bir Nefes / The Breath We Take" 

Tunç Davut  "Kesilmiş Bir Ağaç Gibi / Like a Cut Tree" 

Ziya Demirel "En Güzel Cenaze Şarkıları / The Most Beautiful Funeral Songs"

Emine Emel Balcı "Buradayım, İyiyim / Here I Am, I Am Good," 

TÜRKİYE, GERMANY / 2025 / DCP / Colour / 100’ / Turkish; English s.t.

Director: Emine Emel Balcı; Screenplay: Emine Emel Balcı; Director of Photography: Murat Tuncel; Editing: Eytan İpeker, Melike Kasaplar; Music: Andreas Lucas; Art Director: Meral Efe Yurtseven; Cast: Bige Önal, Elit İşcan, Görkem Mertsöz, Mustafa Sönmez, Elçin Atamgüç, Ayhan Kavas, Ayşe Lebriz Berkem, Uygar Bodur; Producer: Dilek Aydın, Emine Emel Balcı; Co-Producer: Jens Meurer, Derya Türkmen; Production Co.: Heimatlos Films, Prolog Film ;World Sales: Heimatlos Films & Prolog Film

Filiz, a young, working mother, struggles with postpartum depression. Seeking moments of escape, she sets out to buy ‘a car of her own.’ Along the way, Filiz meets Şule, and her search for a car turns into an unexpected bond, offering both women a chance at solidarity.

Bige Önal received the Best Actress award at the 32nd Adana Golden Boll Film Festival for her performance in the film.

Hasan Tolga Pulat  "Parçalı Yıllar / Partial Years" 

Mustafa Emin Büyükcoşkun and Semih Gülen "Atlet / Athlete" 

Özkan Çelik  "Perde" 

2024 / 84’ / Color / Türkiye
Director: Özkan Çelik; Screenplay: Özkan Çelik, Cem Zeynel Kılıç; Music : Başak Günak; Cinematography: Serdar Özdemir; Art director : Levent Uçma
Editing : Nilay Atılgan , Özkan Çelik; Cast : Tülin Özen, Cem Zeynel Kılıç, Faruk Barman, İpek Türkan, Duygu Karaca, Bedir Bedir, Özlem Durmaz, Kürşat Demir
Producer : Özcan Çelik; Production: Çelik Film

Samet invites his friends over to celebrate his promotion to general manager. While feeding the cats before entering the house, he sees the woman on the ground floor undressing and runs away when she notices him, which leads to the doorman being blamed. His wife Zeynep, who has always defended the doorman while discussing this issue with her friends, will she defend what she believes is right when she learns that Samet is the real culprit? Or will she protect her interests?

Seyfettin Tokmak  "Tavşan İmparatorluğu / Rabbit Empire", 

Şeyhmus Altun "Aldığımız Bir Nefes / The Breath We Take" 

Tunç Davut "Kesilmiş Bir Ağaç Gibi / Like a Cut Tree" 

Supported by the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism, General Directorate of Cinema, a co-production of TRT with the contribution of the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Cinema Office, the feature film "Like a Cut Tree", produced by Sinem Altındağ, directed by Tunç Davut, and with Cevahir Şahin as director of photography, was shot in Tarsus.

Ziya Demirel "En Güzel Cenaze Şarkıları / The Most Beautiful Funeral Songs."

1h 51m Directed by: Ziya Demirel; Written by Ziya Demirel and Yusuf Tan Demirel; Produced by Anna Maria Aslanoğlu (istos Film) and co-produced by Emre Oskay (Sky Films); Director of photography: Doron Tempert; Edited by: Henrique Cartaxo; Production design: Osman Özcan; Sound designer: Cenker Kökten; Cast: Esra Dermancıoğlu, Halil Babür, Çağdaş Ekin Şişman, Yıldız Kültür, Nalan Kuruçim, Ayça Damgacı, Hidayet Tılı, Özer Keçeci, Büşra Albayrak, Doğa Nalbantoğlu, Gözde Mutluer.

The Most Beautiful Funeral Songs revolves around the story of Saadet, who goes after the 20,000 Euros promised by Dr. Erol Ergüven, who entered his life through an online relationship. A mosaic of stories: a grieving widow, soon-to-be newlyweds, an artist's intimate revelation, and a birthday gathering for someone who passed away. Each tale weaves into the next, creating an intricate narrative tapestry. 

Ziya Demirel's second feature-length fiction film, "The Most Beautiful Funeral Songs," will meet the audience in the official selection of the 38th Tokyo International Film Festival on October 27th as part of the festival's "Future of Asia" section.

Known for his award-winning short films Evicko (2012) and Salı (2015), which was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, director Ziya Demirel returned with awards from the Istanbul, Adana, Ayvalık and Ankara film festivals with his first feature, Ela and Hilmi and Ali.

The 36th Ankara Film Festival (November 13–21)

The 36th Ankara Film Festival, organized by the World Mass Communication Research Foundation, will meet moviegoers from November 13–21. 

Mahmut Fazıl Coşkun [1], one of the leading figures in contemporary Turkish cinema, will serve as the head of the jury for the National Feature Film Competition.

The jury for the 36th Ankara Film Festival consists of academic and film critic Ece Vitrinel, film critic and author Murat Erşahin, and Ankara Film Festival Director İrfan Demirkol. The jury selected eight films from among 30 submissions to compete in the National Feature Film Competition.

This year, the jury will evaluate Emine Emel Balcı's "Buradayım, İyiyim / Here I Am, I Am Good," Hasan Tolga Pulat's "Parçalı Yıllar / Partial Years," Mustafa Emin Büyükcoşkun and Semih Gülen's "Atlet / Athlete," Özkan Çelik's "Perde," Seyfettin Tokmak's "Tavşan İmparatorluğu / Rabbit Empire", Şeyhmus Altun's "Aldığımız Bir Nefes / The Breath We Take" Tunç Davut's "Kesilmiş Bir Ağaç Gibi / Like a Cut Tree," and Ziya Demirel's "En Güzel Cenaze Şarkıları / The Most Beautiful Funeral Songs."

This year, eight films will compete in the National Feature Film Competition, chaired by director, screenwriter, and producer Mahmut Fazıl Coşkun[1]. The jury also includes production designer Aslı Dadak, producer Diloy Gülün, actress Hasibe Eren, and editor Osman Bayraktaroğlu.

The festival's Film-Direction Jury, comprised of Cengiz Özkarabekir, Handan Öztürk, and Leyla Yılmaz, will determine the Best Director Award. The Turkish Cinema Critics Association (SİYAD) jury includes Ekrem Buğra Büte, Selin Gürel, and Senem Erdine. This jury will select the winner of the SİYAD Best Film Award.

The National Documentary Film Competition, in which seven documentaries will compete, will include writer, director, and producer Andreas Treske; director and writer Tuluhan Tekelioğlu; and artist and academic Zeyno Pekünlü.

This year, the following documentaries will be competing in the National Documentary Film Competition: Abdullah Harun İlhan’s “Free Words: A Poet from Gaza,” Ayşe Çetinbaş and Çayan Demirel’s “30 Years with Kardeş Türküler” (Sister Songs), Gülten Taranç and Ragıp Taranç’s “My Grandfather’s House,” Letisya Tapan’s “Between Two Spaces,” Mert Güncüer’s “The Notebook of an Exile: Misina,” Tayfun Belet’s “Like a Novel,” and Tolga Oskar’s “Nilgün.”

The Honorary Awards of the 36th Ankara Film Festival have been announced. This year, the Aziz Nesin Labor Award will be presented to Zuhal Olcay for her versatile production in theater, film, and music; the Art Çınarı Award will be presented to Rutkay Aziz for her pioneering work on the theater stage and her lasting contributions to cinema. The Sinematek/Cinema House, which keeps film culture alive and preserves our memory through archival work, received the Mass Communication Award; and Demet Evgar and Selman Nacar were recognized with Foundation Special Awards for their productions that have inspired different generations in the art world. The Ankara Film Festival Honorary Awards will be presented to the winners on November 13th, the festival's opening night.

The festival will host filmgoers at the Kızılay Büyülü Fener Cinema. As in previous years, the festival aims to foster new productions and young artists in Turkish cinema.

The National Feature Film Competition will present Ankara audiences with the year's most notable films, presenting awards in 12 different categories. These categories include prestigious awards such as the Mahmut Tali Öngören Best First Film Award, the Onat Kutlar Best Screenplay Award, and the SİYAD Best Film Award.

The National Documentary Competition will feature original documentaries, while the National Short Film Competition, which provides a valuable platform for film students and young directors, will be open to all genres.

This year, the Ankara Film Competition, which will evaluate documentaries and short films focusing on Ankara, is also attracting attention. The winning film from this competition, organized in collaboration with Koç University's Vehbi Koç Ankara Research Center (VEKAM), will contribute to academic research by being included in the VEKAM archive.

FESTIVAL POSTER

Atay Erol's work, which depicts the multifaceted structure of the festival in a colorful and eye-catching way that reflects the spirit of the city with characters symbolizing Ankara, was chosen as the festival's 2025 poster.

[1] Mahmut Fazıl Coşkun, who began his career as a documentary director and expanded it with feature films, attracted international attention with his 2009 debut, "Wrong Odds and Ends," which won the Best Film Award at the Rotterdam Film Festival. The film, which also won Best Director and Best Screenplay awards in Istanbul and Adana, laid the foundation for the director's cinematic style. His second film, "Yozgat Blues," released in 2013, received the FIPRESCI Award in Warsaw and the Best Balkan Film award in Sofia after its world premiere in San Sebastian. It also garnered national recognition with Best Film awards in Adana and Malatya.

Coşkun's third feature, "Anons," released in 2018, cemented his international success by winning the Special Jury Prize in the Orizzonti section of the Venice Film Festival. The same year, it became one of the most talked-about films of the year with its awards at the Adana Golden Boll. The director won the Best Documentary Award at the Ankara Film Festival with his documentary "Crossroads" in 2022, and produced the series "Derin Mor" for the digital platform in 2023. He is currently working on his new film, "The Society for the Cremation of the Dead," set in 1930s Istanbul.

Türkiye Defteri (1971-75) and Turkish Cinema

Türkiye Defteri [1] was a monthly magazine founded by a few intellectuals who felt the need for a local Marxism and filled a significant intellectual void in Turkey in the 1970s.

Published between April 1971 and June 1975, the magazine was owned and directed by Naci Çelik Berksoy. Its founders were Naci Çelik, Hulki Aktunç, and Taylan Altuğ. The magazine also explored Kemal Tahir's views. Marxism, the Ottoman Empire, and Westernization were its main topics of discussion. Special issues addressed Mustafa Suphi, Kemal Tahir, Nazım Hikmet, and Orhan Kemal.

In addition to its founders, its writers included Kemal Tahir, Selahattin Hilav, Sezer Tansuğ, Selim İleri, Tomris Uyar, Leyla Erbil, Hilmi Yavuz, Necati Güngör, and Ercüment Akman[2], who wrote about cinema.

[1] NEW BOOK

Türkiye Defteri

Magazine Publishing, Literature, and Politics in the 1970s

Prof. Dr. Abdurrahman Özkan 

CRITER PRINTING PUBLISHING DISTRIBUTION

Magazines have always enlivened Turkish intellectual life. The first examples of these magazines, which we encountered in the late Ottoman period, have played a leading role in our intellectual life. In the effort to instill new values ​​in Turkish society, magazines such as Halkevi, Ülkü, and Kadro, which addressed the official ideology of the Republic, also came to the fore, as did magazines published by independent thought circles such as Yön, Hareket, Forum, Hisar, Devrim, and Büyük Doğu. Magazines, which addressed history and the present in a language more dynamic than books and more sober than newspapers, were followed with interest as the products of intellectual pursuits in literature, art, culture, economics, politics, and ideologies. 

Throughout the 20th century, many social segments or intellectual groups with diverse beliefs, politics, and ideologies identified with a magazine they published to make their voices heard. In this respect, think tanks and their journals hold a significant place in the development of social, political, and literary studies in Turkey. The Westernization option, which accelerated with the establishment of the Republic, was lively debated in these journals. 

Within the Westernization project, not only capitalist modernization but also Islamism and socialism were discussed as options for modernization. Throughout its publication, Türkiye Defteri (Turkish Notebook) Magazine championed the socialist option. This study examines Türkiye Defteri.

List Price: TL 190.00

Publication Date: 02.06.2025

ISBN: 9786255948403

Language: TURKISH

Number of Pages: 100

Binding Type: Paperback

Paper Type: Book Paper

Size: 13.5 x 21 cm

[2] Link to Kemal Tahir Article by Ercument Akman

Edge of Night | Gecenin Kiyisi by Türker Süer (2024)

Edge of Night | Gecenin Kiyisi by Türker Süer (2024)

Production Country: Germany, Türkiye

Duration:85'

Directed by: Türker Süer[1]

Script: Türker Süer

Cinematography: Matteo Cocco

Editing: Rainer Nigrelli

Sound: Hasan Can Kaya

Music: Ozan Tekin

Actors: Ahmet Rıfat Şungar, Berk Hakman

Production:MFP GmbH, Liman Film

Producers: Viola Fügen, Michael Weber, Nadir Öperli

Co-production:WDR, ARTE

Production Design: Meral Efe Yurtseven, Yunus Emre Yurtseven

Format: DCP

Color: Color

Production companies: MFP, Liman Film

International sales: The Match Factory, info@matchfactory.de

Edge of Night - The Match Factory

Sinan, a lieutenant in the Turkish army, is tasked with escorting his brother, who is also an officer, to face military court. This mission feels like the ultimate test of obedience for Sinan, especially since the disgraceful discharge and tragic end of their father still cast a shadow over his otherwise spotless career prospects. However, things take a dangerous turn when, during the transfer, Turkey plunges into a night of deep political unrest and turmoil. With the failed coup attempt of July 15, 2016, as its backdrop, debut director Türker Süer crafts a mature thriller that draws comparisons to Michael Mann’s cinema. In the world of Edge of Night, even the bright daylight can’t dispel the darkness of uncertainty, where every decision could turn into a catastrophic mistake. A film deeply rooted in the 1980s aesthetics, complete with an evocative and haunting soundtrack.

[1] Türker Süer studied directing and screenwriting at the Academy of Media Arts in Cologne, Germany. During this time, he directed several short films, which were shown at international and national festivals. His graduation short, Brüder (Brothers), was nominated for the First Steps Award and the Max Ophüls Prize, among other awards, and received praise from the German Board of Film Recommendation (FBW) as “highly recommended.” He participated in the Berlinale Talent Campus and received a six-month scholarship at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris. His feature film debut,

Edge of Night, starring Ahmet Rıfat Şungar and Berk Hakman, was selected at Venice IFF Orizzonti for the world premiere, and at the Toronto International Film Festival for its North American premiere.

Filmography

2006 Shaving Hacke (short doc, co-direction)

2010 The Best Father Ever (short)

2012 Brothers (short)

2024 Edge of Night

REVIEW

‘Edge Of Night’: Hamburg Review

By Boyd van Hoeij30 September 2024

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A confident debut from Cologne-born director Türker Süer marks the director out as a talent to watch

 

EdgeOfNight1_©MatteoCocco

 

Source: Matteo Cocco

 

‘Edge Of Night’

 

Dir/scr: Türker Süer. Germany/Turkey. 2024. 85mins

 

Two estranged brothers from Turkey find themselves on opposing sides in Edge Of Night, the confident debut feature from Cologne-born director Türker Süer. A socio-political parable posing as a military thriller, at least for its first hour, this strikingly shot drama is a solid calling card for Süer. The German-Turkish coproduction premiered at Venice before screening at Toronto and is having its local bow at Hamburg. It should prove itself to be an in-demand title for showcases spotlighting new talent.

 

This strikingly shot drama is a solid calling card for Süer

 

When we first meet Sinan (Ahmet Rifat Sungar, from Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Three Monkeys and The Wild Pear Tree), he is a seemingly poker-faced lieutenant in the Turkish army. The institution is portrayed as both self-important and cold — think shots of long, empty yet ornate corridors — as well as slightly absurd and pointless (echoes of Mahmut Fazil Coskun’s 2017 tragicomedy The Announcement, about a fictional coup in Turkey).

 

The very serious Sinan is bossed around by those in charge and is asked to accompany a soldier to a military court that is a long drive away. The man in question assaulted a colleague before trying to flee the country. The twist, revealed early on, is that the detainee is Kenan (Berk Hakman, from Emin Alper’s Beyond The Hill), Sinan’s estranged brother.

 

Though this is not exactly a Cain and Abel narrative, there is a lot of friction between the siblings. This has to do with their shared history which is revealed over the course of the narrative – though mainly from Sinan’s point-of-view, as Süer privileges a perspective close to his protagonist. (The drama could have benefitted, especially in its early going, from a more even-keeled approach.) The main bone of contention is how they perceive their duties towards their fatherland and their actual father, a military man who committed suicide years earlier to get out of a long prison sentence. Sinan had a part in his father’s conviction, as he did what he thought was right for the country rather than his family. The irony is that this is a value that their father had instilled in his offspring – though Kenan has another view of things.

 

The family drama is fascinating, especially because Süer, who also wrote the screenplay, deftly uses often minimalistic dialogue to explore the crevices and contradictions of the men’s opposing viewpoints. But this isn’t only a family drama. As they travel through the dark Turkish night, a coup occurs at the highest level of government, throwing events into a tailspin. (The film is set in July 2016, at the time of a real-life coup attempt by a faction of the Turkish Armed Forces). Who do soldiers respond to when the hierarchy becomes unclear? Is it even possible to reach the military court or a military base that’s closer to the protagonists?

 

The coup, which occurs mostly offscreen, overlays the family drama with a political one, and throws into high relief how Sinan and Kenan have displayed very different coping mechanisms as they have tried to keep their heads above water in a rigid hierarchy in an increasingly undemocratic country. Why risk your life for an institution that doesn’t seem to care about yours?

 

Working with Italian cinematographer Matteo Cocco, Süer shows an impressive sense of mise-en-scene and spatial choreography that helps to tell the story visually. Ozan Tekin’s electronic score is atmospheric and builds tension, especially in the more intense first hour which plays like a thriller. If the remaining 25 minutes are less intense they are thematically the richest, as the complex relationship between the siblings further crystallises and Edge Of Night’s thematic interests come to the fore.

 

And The Rest Will Follow | O da Bir Şey mi by Pelin Esmer

Pelin Esmer's "O Da Bir Şey Mi" (O Da Bir Şey Mi) was named Best Film in the National Feature Film Competition as the winner of the 32nd International Adana Golden Boll Film Festival

And The Rest Will Follow (Turkish: O da Bir Şey mi) is a 2025 Turkish, Bulgarian, and Romanian co-produced drama film, directed and written by Pelin Esmer.[1] 

The film had its world premiere on February 1, 2025, at the 54th International Film Festival Rotterdam.

Filming which received support from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's Directorate General of Cinema and Eurimages, was completed in Söke and Istanbul. The film's Turkish release is planned for the fall.

Famous film director Levent (45), the honorary guest of Soke Film Festival from Istanbul, is completely unaware of Aliye (25), a housekeeper at the hotel where he is staying. However, Aliye, who is trying to tailor a new life story for herself, knows Levent and his films very well. Aliye's intriguing story brings together these two distant people with completely different lives. Now, they have to choose between reality and fiction.

And The Rest Will Follow|  O da Bir Şey mi 

114 min. Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania

Release date: February 1, 2025 (Rotterdam), April 19, 2025 (İstanbul)   

Directed and Written by Pelin Esmer; Produced by Dilde Mahalli (Rosa Film), Pelin Esmer (Sinefilm) ve Kerem Çatay (Ay Yapım); Cinematography by: Barbu Balasoiu; Edited by Özcan Vardar

Cast: Timuçin Esen as Levent; Merve Asya Özgür as Aliye; İpek Bilgin as Nigâr;
Nur Sürer as Gülistan; Mehmet Kurtuluş as Lawyer; Ahmet Sönmez; Şebnem Hassanisoughi as Aynur; Asiye Dinçsoy as Emine

Aliye (25) a young hotel housekeeper has never left her small town Söke where time runs slower, quieter and less promising compared to Istanbul, the home town of well-known film director Levent (45). Aliye sees Levent under the stage lights as an honored guest of the Söke Film Festival, whereas he sees only her arm through the velvet curtain drawn across a service window between the hotel bar and kitchen where she serves clean glasses to the bar counter. All night he watches her arm from the bar side of the curtain while on her kitchen side she stalks and listens to the bar regulars competing with the dramas of their life stories in the presence of this famous director. Wait till you hear mine, she says to herself one day and starts her story she meticulously dreams and lives, slowly recording a tailor made life story for herself. Aliye's voice recordings slowly leak into Levent's life in Istanbul as he is at the edge of an end of story with his wife. Listening to this invisible young woman carries him to some moments from his past that have been waiting until today to shade into a reflective film which will eventually bring him once again to Aliye's town Söke. Levent, sitting again at the bar side of the velvet curtain, this time hearing Aliye's true story from someone else, thinks her life would make a beautiful film and asks her to appear in real. Having listened to her own true story behind the other side of the curtain, Aliye seems more interested in the character she has created by her own hands and leaves the truth to the others.

[1] Pelin Esmer (born 3 May 1972, Istanbul) is a Turkish Film director, screenwriter and film producer.

Pelin Esmer studied sociology at the social sciences department of Boğaziçi University in Istanbul. She made her first short documentary, Koleksiyoncu (The Collector) about her uncle Mithat Esmer, who is also the main character of her first fiction feature, 10 to 11 (2009). Her 2005 work, Oyun, was filmed in Arslanköy and documents the efforts of a group of peasant women who produce a play based on their lives. Her 2012 film, Watchtower, earned five awards, including Best Director at the Adana Golden Boll Film Festival.

Filmography

2002 Koleksiyoncu: The Collector (documentary)

2005 Oyun (documentary)

2009 10 to 11

2012 Watchtower

2017 Something Useful

2019 Queen Lear

2025 And The Rest Will Follow

Awards

Yilmaz Güney Award at the Adana Golden Boll Film Festival 2006 (for Oyun)

Best film from the Black Sea region 2006 (for Oyun)

Best film and best script at the Adana Golden Boll Film Festival 2009 (for 10 to 11)

Best young filmmaker from the Middle East region at the Middle East Film Festival Abu Dhabi in 2009 (for 10 to 11)

REVIEW 1

IFFR 2025 review: And the Rest Will Follow (Pelin Esmer)

“If this film proves anything it is that Pelin Esmer is a gifted storyteller, capable of weaving together lives that you imagine would never have crossed paths if it weren’t for her story.”

What are we, but our life story? Yet Aliye (Merve Asya Özgür), a housekeeper at an old hotel in a small town, prefers to replace her own story, in which she is a struggling woman who has to carry the name of her father’s former lover, with far more interesting ones, such as those of the guests in her hotel. She is a fan of a famous director, Levent (Timuçin Esen), who she admires from afar during a Q&A after a screening at a local festival. While working in the kitchen behind the bar, she overhears the local patrons tell Levent their stories, in hope of becoming the center of one of his films. All Levent sees is the arm through the small window between bar and kitchen. When Aliye decides to tell him her life story by sending him voice messages, Levent becomes intrigued by this mysterious woman and starts to form a story of his own to forget about the drama he just ended, that of his marriage. As they draw closer together, if not physically then at least in their stories, tales real and imagined start to blend.

In And the Rest Will Follow, Turkish director Pelin Esmer’s seventh film, the stories we tell each other are central, so it should be no surprise that narrative and story structure are the main selling points. What started with Esmer seeing a woman’s arm through a service window (much like one of her protagonists sees the other in her film) becomes an intricate tale of two people distant from each other in class, age, and also a geographical sense. And the Rest Will Follow is a film that requires full attention to keep track of the stories the two central characters tell each other and themselves, and in all honesty some of the plot strands that evolve from this do not fully land. A plotline of Levent shooting a short film that will bring him back to the small town of Söke, employing elements of Aliye and Levent’s own stories, doesn’t fit well into the narrative framework of the film, however amusing we find the young boy at the heart of that short (played by a cheeky Oğuz Kara).

With such fcus on story and structure, almost inevitably the other aspects of the film play second fiddle when it comes to drawing attention. Esmer’s direction is assured but sober, with little flight of fancy. The performances of the cast are solid, with Esen a particular standout, but won’t linger for too long. Barbu Bălășoiu’s lush cinematography is particularly noteworthy, with its saturated colors warming up the interiors of the hotel that is central to the film and the two protagonists. But everything circles back to, and is in service of, the storytelling of And the Rest Will Follow. If this film proves anything it is that Pelin Esmer is a gifted storyteller, capable of weaving together lives that you imagine would never have crossed paths if it weren’t for her story. As one of the characters says, “Who cares about the truth” if the story is good?