Implementation Principles Regarding Film Shootings In Istanbul Province

IMPLEMENTATION PRINCIPLES 

REGARDING FILM SHOOTINGS 

IN ISTANBUL PROVINCE

Turkish Original Text below

Purpose and Scope

ARTICLE 1- (1) These principles have been prepared by the Film Shooting Coordination Commission, established based on Article 14 of Law No. 5224 on the Evaluation, Classification and Support of Cinema Films and Article 14 of the Regulation on Film Shooting Permits and Co-Productions published in the Official Gazette dated 15.10.2019 and numbered 30919, in order to regulate the application, permit, fee, implementation and coordination processes regarding the shooting of films, series, commercials, documentaries, short films and similar audiovisual productions in public areas within the borders of Istanbul province, to determine the needs and solutions regarding film shootings, to ensure inter-institutional coordination, to carry out work and procedures quickly and effectively and to determine the shooting principles.

Definitions

ARTICLE 2- (1) In these Principles;

a) Large vehicle: Caravans, set equipment vehicles, costume vehicles, generator trucks, toilet trucks, etc.

b) Night shooting area: Areas designated by the District Governor's Offices for filming between 23:00 and 06:00,

c) Public area: Parks, squares, streets, avenues, and other areas open to general use

d) Zone 1: Areas with high traffic and population density

e) Zone 2: Areas with low traffic and population density

f) Zone 3: Areas with low traffic and population density. Matters relating to applications and notifications.

ARTICLE 3-

(1) Notifications for filming and other permit applications must be submitted to the highest administrative authority of the location where filming will take place at least 7 (seven) days before the start date of filming. Submitting notifications or other permit applications does not negate the obligation to obtain permission from the relevant public institution or organization in cases where special permits are required for a location.

(2) In cases where the request for filming permits affects traffic safety and necessitates the closure of bridges, streets, etc., in the areas where permission is requested, applications must also be submitted to the District Governor's Offices and relevant Municipalities at least 7 (seven) days before the start date of filming, following the permission or notification mentioned in the first paragraph. Vehicle and Equipment Use

ARTICLE 4-

(1) The type, size, and number of vehicles to be used in filming must be clearly stated in the application form.

(2) Neighborhoods in districts will be classified by the District Governor's Offices as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and night filming zones, from highest to lowest density, according to traffic and population density.

(3) The maximum number of large vehicles that can be used in film shoots according to the type of area is specified in Appendix 1.

(4) The limit on the number of vehicles does not apply for a period of 60 minutes for vehicles arriving to unload personnel or equipment before the setup and dismantling of the shooting set.

(5) The specified vehicle limits apply only to public areas. For filming in privately owned areas with their own parking spaces (businesses, private homes and detached houses, hospitals, parking lots, etc.), no vehicle limit will be applied, provided that permission is obtained from the relevant site and business management.

(6) Large vehicles and passenger cars waiting in parking lots around the filming area are not included in the numbers specified in Appendix 1.

(7) There will be a minimum distance of 1 (one) km between filming sets in public areas in the filming regions on the same dates.

(8) Information signs and notices must be placed in the relevant areas 24 (twenty-four) hours before filming

(9) During filming, warning signs will be placed to draw drivers' attention to pedestrian crossing areas, especially in areas with heavy traffic, so as not to block them.

(10) Vehicles used in filming will be positioned in a way that does not hinder the trade of commercial establishments. Filming hours and noise management.

ARTICLE 5-

(1) The permitted hours for filming according to regional types are listed in Appendix 2.

(2) Noise measurements will be regularly conducted by the relevant district municipality teams, and sanctions will be applied in accordance with the relevant legislation if limit values ​​are exceeded.

(3) Scenes with high noise levels, such as explosions and collisions, will be carried out with permission from law enforcement agencies. Pricing and Support

ARTICLE 6-

(1) For productions where the number of large vehicles remaining in the filming area exceeds three during the filming period, the fee schedule determined according to district, region, project type, filming location, location type, and filming duration is included in Appendix 3.

(2) For filming in public areas using only handheld equipment, without any vehicle entry, set setup, or occupation of the area, no filming fee is paid to the municipalities. The non-payment of filming fees does not eliminate the notification obligation.

(3) For filming in the enclosed areas (interiors) of privately owned buildings, pricing can only be determined between the property owner and the producer. For such filming, no additional fee will be paid to the relevant municipality unless the filming extends into a public area.

(4) For all types of projects supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, one-quarter of the fee schedule specified in Annex 3 will be applied.

(5) No fee schedule will be applied for promotional film/series filming to be done/commissioned by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and its affiliated and related organizations.

(6) For productions where the number of large vehicles remaining in the filming area during the filming period is three or fewer, one-quarter of the fee schedule specified in Annex 3 will be applied.

General Provisions

ARTICLE 7-

(1) Set structures, lighting, equipment, and decorations must be constructed in a way that does not damage historical or registered buildings or their surroundings.

(2) Before filming, residents and tourists in the area will be informed through appropriate means; information signs indicating the area and times of filming should be posted in visible places in the filming area.

(3) After filming is completed, all waste in the area must be collected and disposed of in trash cans; Recyclable waste should be left at the relevant collection points or handed over to the authorities, and the filming area should be restored to its original state.

(4) The waste management hierarchy should be followed; waste should be managed according to the principles of prevention, then reuse, and finally recycling

(5) The use of single-use plastic and cardboard cups and packaging materials should be prevented; environmentally friendly and reusable alternatives should be preferred.

(6) All necessary precautions should be taken to prevent damage to trees, vegetation, natural formations (geographical structures), and animals in the filming areas.

(7) In filming in green areas, environmentally friendly equipment should be preferred, waste should be cleaned on-site, and lighting and set installation should be done in a way that does not harm the environment. Technical equipment that does not cause noise and environmental pollution should be prioritized.

(8) In filming in green areas, the relevant district municipality may apply time and square meter restrictions, taking into account the environmental impact.

(9) Permission must be obtained from the General Directorate of Civil Aviation for aerial and drone filming.

(10) In addition to the shooting notification for marine photography, permission must be obtained from the relevant Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change.

Supervision and coordination

ARTICLE 8-

(1) To monitor the filming notification and permit processes, a "District Filming Coordination Unit" will be established in each district, under the chairmanship of personnel assigned by the relevant District Governor's Office, and consisting of at least 3 members, including representatives from the Metropolitan Municipality, the relevant Municipality, and relevant institutions.

(2) The District Filming Coordination Unit will conduct inspections at filming locations regarding: 

• Number of vehicles, 

• Filming hours, 

• Accuracy of information declared in filming notifications and other permit applications. 

If the District Filming Coordination Unit determines that the Regulation on Film Filming Permits and Co-Productions, relevant legislation, and these Principles have been violated, the producer will be notified verbally, in writing, or electronically through the communication channels declared during the application (postal address, telephone number, e-mail address, KEP address, and other digital communication tools). Notifications sent to these declared addresses will be deemed to have been made upon receipt. The producer will be given 24 (twenty-four) hours to remedy the violation following the notification date. If the violation is not remedied within the given time, a decision will be made to suspend filming at the location for 1 (one) day, based on a report prepared by the District Filming Coordination Unit and the approval of the relevant District Governor's Office. Applications regarding the remediation of the violation or other matters are made to the relevant District Governor's Office. Sanctions under other relevant legal provisions are reserved

(3) These procedures are carried out in accordance with the provisions of the current legislation, within the scope of the authority and responsibility of the relevant institutions. Cases not covered by these provisions

ARTICLE 9-

(1) In cases not covered by these Principles, Article 14 of Law No. 5224 on the Evaluation, Classification and Support of Cinema Films and Article 14 of the Regulation on Film Shooting Permits and Co-Productions published in the Official Gazette dated 15.10.2019 and numbered 30919, or other relevant legislation provisions shall apply.

(2) The provisions set out in Articles 2 and 4 of these Implementation Principles shall not be applied in the Adalar District. The work and procedures related to film shooting in the Adalar District shall be carried out in accordance with the decisions to be taken by the relevant District Governorship, taking into account other matters included in these Principles. Entry into Force

ARTICLE 10- (1) These Principles shall enter into force with the approval of the Minister.

Execution

ARTICLE 11- (1) The Istanbul Governorship shall execute the provisions of these Principles. •

Appendix 1: Vehicle Number Limit •

Appendix 2: Filming Hours

Appendix 1: Zone Type

Zone 1 Description Maximum Number of Large Vehicles Allowed Areas with high traffic and population density 7 vehicles

Zone 2 Zone 3 Night Filming Zone

Appendix 2: Zone Type / Area Zones 1 and 2 Areas with low traffic and population density 11 vehicles Areas with low traffic and population density Unlimited Special areas designated by districts as suitable for filming between 23:00 and 06:00 7 vehicles

Application Period October – April Filming Hours 07:00 – 00:00

May – September 07:00 – 01:00

Zone 3 All year Flexible Explanation / Notes This is the standard application period.

Night filming outside these hours requires permission. The time limit is extended by 1 hour during the summer months. There are no time restrictions.

Night shooting zones are valid all year round from 23:00 to 06:00 in areas designated by the districts. There is a limit of a maximum of 7 large vehicles.

 

TURKISH ORIGINAL TEXT

İSTANBUL İLİNDEKİ FİLM ÇEKİMLERİNE   İLİŞKİN UYGULAMA ESASLARI

Amaç ve kapsam

MADDE 1- (1) Bu esaslar; İstanbul il sınırları içinde gerçekleştirilen film, dizi, reklam, belgesel, kısa film ve benzeri görsel-işitsel yapımların kamuya açık alanlarda yapılacak çekimlerine ilişkin başvuru, izin, ücretlendirme, uygulama ve koordinasyon süreçlerini düzenlemek, film çekimlerine ilişkin ihtiyaç ve çözümlerin tespiti, kurumlar arası koordinasyonun sağlanması, iş ve işlemlerin hızlı ve etkin bir şekilde yürütülmesi ile çekim esaslarının belirlenmesi amacıyla 5224 sayılı Sinema Filmlerinin Değerlendirilmesi ve Sınıflandırılması ile Desteklenmesi Hakkında Kanunun 14 üncü ve 15.10.2019 tarihli ve 30919 sayılı Resmi Gazete’de yayımlanan Film Çekim İzinleri ve Ortak Yapımlar Hakkında Yönetmeliğin 14 üncü maddesine dayanılarak oluşturulan Film Çekim Koordinasyon Komisyonu tarafından hazırlanmıştır.

Tanımlar

MADDE 2- (1) Bu Esaslarda geçen;

a) Büyük araç: Karavan, set ekipman aracı, kostüm aracı, jeneratör kamyonu, tuvalet kamyonları vb. araçları,

b) Gece çekimi bölgesi: Kaymakamlıklar tarafından 23.00–06.00 arası çekim yapılmak üzere belirlenen alanları,

c) Kamuya açık alan: Park, meydan, sokak, cadde gibi genel kullanıma açık alanlardır.

ç) 1. Bölge: Trafiğin ve nüfusun yoğun olduğu alanlar

d) 2. Bölge: Trafiğin ve nüfusun az yoğun olduğu alanları,

e) 3. Bölge: Trafiğin ve nüfusun yoğun olmadığı yerleri ifade eder. Başvurulara ve bildirimlere ilişkin hususlar

MADDE 3-

(1) Çekim bildirimi ve diğer izin başvurularının, çekimlerin başlangıç tarihinden en az 7 (yedi) gün önce çekim yapılacak mahallin en büyük mülki idari amirliğine yapılması gerekmektedir. Yapılan bildirim veya diğer izin başvuruları, özel izin gerektiren mahaller söz konusu olduğunda o mahallin bağlı olduğu kamu kurumu veya kuruluşundan, izin alma zorunluluğunu ortadan kaldırmaz.

(2) Çekim yapılması amacıyla izin talep edilen bölgelerde köprü, cadde, sokak vb. alanların trafik güvenliğini etkileyen ve trafiğin kapatılmasını gerektiren durumlarda, birinci fıkrada belirtilen izin alımı veya bildirim yapılmasının akabinde çekimlerin başlangıç tarihinden en az 7 (yedi) gün önce Kaymakamlıklara ve ilgili Belediyelere de başvurulması gerekmektedir. Araç ve ekipman kullanımı

MADDE 4-

(1) Çekimlerde kullanılacak araçların türü, büyüklüğü ve sayısı başvuru formunda açıkça belirtilmelidir.

(2) İlçelerdeki mahalleler, Kaymakamlıklarca trafiğin ve nüfusun yoğunluğuna göre en yoğundan en az yoğuna 1, 2, 3 ve gece çekimi bölgesi olarak sınıflandırılacaktır.

(3) Bölge türlerine göre film çekimlerinde kullanılabilecek en fazla büyük araç sayısı Ek 1’de yer almaktadır. 

(4) Araç sayısına getirilen sınırlama çekim setinin kurulum ve söküm saatlerinden önce personel veya ekipman indirmek amacıyla gelen araçlar için 60 dakikalık süre boyunca geçerli değildir. 

(5) Belirlenen araç sınırlamaları yalnızca kamuya açık alanlar için geçerlidir. Kendisine ait otopark alanı bulunan özel mülkiyet alanlarındaki çekimlerde, ilgili site ve iş yeri yönetiminden izin almak koşuluyla, (işyeri, şahsa ait ev ve müstakil konutlar, hastaneler, otoparklar vb.) herhangi bir araç sınırı uygulanmayacaktır. 

(6) Çekim yapılan alanın çevresinde yer alan otoparklarda bekleyecek büyük araçlar ile binek otomobiller Ek 1’de belirtilen sayılara dahil değildir.

(7) Çekim bölgelerindeki kamuya açık alanlarda aynı tarihlerde yapılacak çekim setleri arasında en az 1 (bir) km mesafe olacaktır.

(8) İlgili alanlara çekimden 24 (yirmi dört) saat önce bilgilendirme işaret ve tabelaları koyulmalıdır.

(9) Film çekimleri sırasında, özellikle trafiğin yoğun olduğu bölgelerde, yaya geçiş alanlarının kapanmaması için sürücülerin dikkatini çekmek amacıyla uyarı levhaları yerleştirilecektir.

(10) Çekimlerde kullanılan araçlar, ticari işletmelerin ticaretini engellemeyecek şekilde konumlandırılacaktır. Çekim saatleri ve gürültü yönetimi

MADDE 5-

(1) Film çekimlerinin bölge türlerine göre yapılabileceği saatler Ek 2’de yer almaktadır. 

(2) Gürültü ölçümleri ilgili ilçe Belediye ekiplerince düzenli olarak yapılacaktır ve sınır değerlerin aşılması durumunda ilgili mevzuat hükümleri çerçevesinde müeyyideler uygulanacaktır.

(3) Patlama ve çarpışma gibi yüksek sesli sahneler, kolluk kuvvetlerinden alınacak izinler dahilinde gerçekleştirilecektir. Ücretlendirme ve destekler

MADDE 6-

(1) Çekim alanında çekim süresince kalacak büyük araç sayısı üçü aşan yapımlar için ilçe, bölge, proje türü, çekim mekânı, mekân türü ve çekim süresine göre belirlenen ücret tarifesi Ek-3’te yer almaktadır. 

(2) Kamuya açık alanlarda herhangi bir araç girişi, set kurulumu veya alanın işgaline yol açmadan, yalnızca elde taşınan ekipmanla gerçekleştirilecek film çekimleri için belediyelere çekim ücreti ödenmez. Çekim ücreti ödenmemesi bildirim zorunluluğunu ortadan kaldırmaz. 

(3) Özel mülkiyete ait binaların kapalı alanlarında (iç mekân) yapılacak çekimlerde, yalnızca mülk sahibi ile yapımcı arasında ücretlendirme yapılabilir. Bu tür çekimler için, çekim kamuya açık alana taşmadığı sürece ilgili belediyeye ayrıca ücret ödenmez.

(4) Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı tarafından destek sağlanan tüm türlerdeki projeler için Ek-3’te belirlenen ücret tarifesinin dörtte biri uygulanacaktır.

(5) Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı ile Bakanlığa bağlı ve ilgili kuruluşlar tarafından yapılacak/yaptırılacak tanıtım filmi/dizisi çekimleri için ücret tarifesi uygulanmayacaktır. 

(6) Çekim alanında çekim süresince kalacak büyük araç sayısı üç veya daha az olan yapımlar için Ek-3’te belirlenen ücret tarifesinin dörtte biri uygulanacaktır.

Genel hususlar

MADDE 7-

(1) Set yapıları, ışıklandırmalar, ekipmanlar ve dekorlar; tarihi veya tescilli yapıların kendisine ya da çevresine zarar vermeyecek şekilde kurulmalıdır. 

(2) Çekim öncesinde bölgede yaşayanlar ve turistler uygun araçlarla bilgilendirilecek; çekimin yapılacağı alan ve saatleri gösteren bilgilendirme levhaları çekim alanının görünür yerlerine asılmalıdır.

(3) Çekim tamamlandıktan sonra, alandaki tüm atıklar toplanarak çöp kutularına atılmalı; geri dönüşüme uygun atıklar ise ilgili toplama noktalarına bırakılmalı veya yetkililere teslim edilerek çekim alanı eski hâline getirilmelidir.

(4) Atık yönetimi hiyerarşisine uyulmalı; atıklar öncelikle önleme, ardından yeniden kullanma ve geri dönüşüm ilkelerine göre yönetilmelidir.

(5) Tek kullanımlık plastik, karton bardak, ambalaj gibi malzemelerin kullanımı önlenecek; çevre dostu ve yeniden kullanılabilir alternatifler tercih edilmelidir.

(6) Çekim alanlarında bulunan ağaç, bitki örtüsü, doğal oluşumlar (coğrafi yapılar) ve hayvanların zarar görmemesi için gerekli tüm önlemler alınmalıdır.

(7) Yeşil alanlarda yapılacak çekimlerde; çevre dostu ekipman tercih edilecek, atıklar yerinde temizlenecek, çevreye zarar vermeyecek şekilde ışıklandırma ve set kurulumu yapılacaktır. Gürültü ve çevre kirliliğine neden olmayan teknik ekipmanlar önceliklendirilmelidir.

(8) Yeşil alanlarda gerçekleştirilecek çekimlerde, çevresel etki göz önünde bulundurularak ilgili ilçe belediyesi tarafından süre ve metrekare kısıtlaması uygulanabilir.

(9) Hava ve drone çekimleri için Sivil Havacılık Genel Müdürlüğü’nden izin alınmalıdır.

(10) Deniz çekimleri için çekim bildirimi dışında ilgili İstanbul Çevre, Şehircilik ve İklim Değişikliği İl Müdürlüğü’nden izin alınmalıdır.    

Denetim ve koordinasyon

MADDE 8-

(1) Çekim bildirim ve izin süreçlerinin takibi için her ilçede ilgili Kaymakamlık bünyesinde Kaymakamlıkça görevlendirilecek personel Başkanlığında; Büyükşehir Belediyesi, ilgili Belediye ve ilgili kurum temsilcilerinin yer alacağı ve en az 3 üyeden oluşan "İlçe Çekim Koordinasyon Birimi" kurulacaktır. 

(2) İlçe Çekim Koordinasyon Birimi çekim yerlerinde;  Araç sayısı,  Çekim saatleri,  Çekim bildirimi ve diğer izin başvurularında beyan edilen bilgilerin doğruluğu  çerçevesinde denetim gerçekleştirir. İlçe Çekim Koordinasyon Birimi tarafından; Film Çekim İzinleri ve Ortak Yapımlar Hakkında Yönetmelik, ilgili mevzuat hükümleri ile bu Esaslara aykırı hareket edildiğinin tespiti halinde, yapımcıya başvuru sırasında beyan ettiği iletişim kanalları üzerinden (posta adresi, telefon numarası, elektronik posta adresi, KEP adresi ve diğer dijital iletişim araçları) sözlü, yazılı veya elektronik ortamda bildirimde bulunulur. Beyan edilen bu adreslere yapılan bildirimler, muhatabına ulaştığı anda yapılmış sayılır. Bildirim tarihini takiben ihlalin giderilmesi için yapımcıya 24 (yirmi dört) saat süre verilir. Verilen süre içerisinde ihlalin ortadan kaldırılmaması durumunda, İlçe Çekim Koordinasyon Birimi tarafından düzenlenecek tutanak ve ilgili Kaymakamlığın onayı ile çekimlerin gerçekleştirildiği mekânda çekimlerin 1 (bir) gün süreyle durdurulmasına karar verilir. Bahse konu ihlalin giderildiğine veya diğer hususlara ilişkin başvurular ilgili Kaymakamlığa yapılır. Diğer ilgili Kanun hükümleri kapsamında yaptırımlar saklıdır. 

(3) Bu işlemler, ilgili kurumların yetki ve sorumlulukları çerçevesinde, yürürlükteki mevzuat hükümlerine uygun olarak yerine getirilir. Hüküm bulunmayan haller

MADDE 9-

(1) Bu Esaslarda hüküm bulunmayan hallerde, 5224 sayılı Sinema Filmlerinin Değerlendirilmesi ve Sınıflandırılması ile Desteklenmesi Hakkında Kanunun 14 üncü ve 15.10.2019 tarihli ve 30919 sayılı Resmi Gazete’de yayımlanan Film Çekim İzinleri ve Ortak Yapımlar Hakkında Yönetmeliğin 14 üncü maddesi veya ilgili diğer mevzuat hükümleri uygulanacaktır. 

(2) Bu Uygulama Esaslarının 2’nci ve 4’üncü  maddelerinde düzenlenen  hükümler,  Adalar İlçesinde   uygulanmayacaktır. Adalar ilçesindeki film çekimlerine ilişkin iş ve işlemler, bu Esaslarda yer alan diğer hususlar da dikkate alınarak, ilgili Kaymakamlık tarafından alınacak kararlar doğrultusunda yürütülür. Yürürlük

MADDE 10-  (1) Bu Esaslar Bakan onayı ile yürürlüğe girer.

Yürütme

MADDE 11- (1) Bu Esaslar hükümlerini İstanbul Valiliği yürütür. 

Ek-1: Araç Sayısı Sınırı 

Ek-2: Çekim Saatleri

Ek 1:  Bölge Türü

1. Bölge Tanım İzin Verilen En Fazla Büyük Araç Sayısı Trafiğin ve nüfusun yoğun olduğu alanlar 7 araç

2. Bölge 3. Bölge Gece Çekimi Bölgesi

Ek 2: Bölge Türü / Alan 1. ve 2. Bölgeler Trafiğin ve nüfusun az yoğun olduğu alanlar 11 araç Trafiğin ve nüfusun yoğun olmadığı yerler Sınırsız İlçeler tarafından 23.00–06.00 saatleri arasında çekime uygun olarak belirlenen özel alanlar 7 araç

Uygulama Dönemi Ekim – Nisan Çekim Yapılabilecek Saatler 07:00 – 00:00

Mayıs – Eylül 07:00 – 01:00

3. Bölge Tüm yıl Esnek Açıklama / Notlar Standart uygulama dönemidir.

Gece çekimleri bu saatler dışında izin gerektirir. Yaz aylarında saat sınırı 1 saat uzatılmıştır. Herhangi bir saat kısıtlaması yoktur.

Gece Çekim Bölgeleri Tüm yıl 23:00 – 06:00 İlçeler tarafından belirlenmiş alanlarda geçerlidir.  En fazla 7 büyük araç sınırlaması vardır.

'Salvation' reviews

 

'Salvation' review: Mystical visions, folkloric superstitions and political alarmism combine to unsettling effect in Anatomy of a Massacre

By Catherine Bray

Salvation

How do you justify the unjustifiable? How do you get to the point where you feel morally in the right while you slaughter unarmed men, women and children? These are the questions director Emin Alper seeks to explore in “Salvation,” a film notionally about the longtail fallout from a land dispute, but more elementally about how violence happens. Set in a Turkish village high in the mountains, the director’s fifth film — and his first since the 2022’s Cannes Un Certain Regard entry “Burning Days” — follows the trajectory of Mesut (an excellent and tragically believable Caner Cı̇ndoruk), whose personal insecurities set him on a path leading to a massacre.

Mesut has always played second fiddle to his handsome younger brother, Sheikh Ferit (Feyyaz Duman). Their grandfather was an important man, seen by some as a savior of their village. He was their Sheikh, a local cultural and religious leader, and he passed this status on, not, as might have been expected, to the older brother, but to the younger. Meanwhile, Mesut’s wife is pregnant with twins and he is troubled by anxious dreams and thoughts concerning her sexual life. In the village, men mutter about their land being taken over by outsiders.

Psychologically, then, Mesut is on the back foot. Sexual jealousy, sibling rivalry and a broader feeling of impotence in the face of potential threats from outside combine in a potent brew that, lacking the ear of a good therapist, isn’t going to turn out well for anyone. That’s not to say that Alper falls into the fallacy of laying everything that subsequently happens at one man’s door: On the contrary, this is a smart study of a community.

Cı̇ndoruk gives a nimble performance as Mesut: At first, he plays a kind of low-status grudge-bearer, the sort of person who might be characterized as a boot-licker if there were any boots around that he deemed worthy of licking. Into this vacuum of leadership, as he perceives it, some chosen one must surely arrive. Lo and behold, he realizes it is he himself who must be reluctantly entrusted with the mission to protect his people. As he convinces others of his cause, he blossoms, and we see in his manner and bearing a man stretching himself out and becoming accustomed to power.

One of “Salvation’s” greatest strengths is in capturing a subjective sense of the threat that the villagers collectively feel themselves to be facing. The signs, portents and omens come thick and fast, almost to the point of caricature: a burned field, uncanny storms, a sleepwalking child, a pair of identical twin girls herding goats, and theoretical religious discussions of the possibility of having confused the roles of Cain and Abel. The mood is one of permanent unease, with all the characters bubbling away together in a melting pot of distrust.

Alper strategically avoids creating a clean delineation between dream worlds and reality. This deliberate decision to not formally telegraph dream sequences has an intentionally disorienting effect: We can’t tell when a character is experiencing a dream or vision until something explicitly unreal takes place. While we might not sympathize with Mesut as he foments specific acts of violence, this all-pervading atmosphere of psychological threat helps us see how he convinces himself of his mission. This apposite demonstration of religious convictions being used to prop up concrete actions, spurred on and given fuel by tribalist rivalries, elevates “Salvation” from a merely striking mood piece to an astute psychological study.

Sadly, the film isn’t mere fiction. In 2009, 44 people were murdered at a party in the Mardin Province of Turkey by masked assailants using automatic weapons and hand grenades. The attack left over 60 children orphaned. In taking this event as his starting point, Alper has created a film that is both culturally specific, and has plenty of wider applicability as well. There are, for instance, obvious parallels in “Salvation” with acts of violence committed by Israel in Gaza.

But the relevance of “Salvation” is even broader: The rhetoric of politicians like Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin, or of U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s statement that “we risk becoming an island of strangers,” plays on the same primal fears that allow Mesut to secure support for his bloodthirsty strongman tactics. As has been seen with ICE agents in the streets of Minneapolis, Mesut’s followers are very happy to indulge themselves in the sensation that they are noble soldiers defending themselves and their loved ones from foreigners, when they are in fact the aggressors.

The fact that “Salvation” is not overtly and literally about ICE, Palestine or any of the aforementioned political figures may provide useful cover for any festivals, curators or distributors frustrated by institutional complicity or timidity in confronting these issues directly in their programming. This is simply a film inspired by a tragedy in rural Turkey that occurred nearly 20 years ago. And if audiences or critics wish to reach for contemporary parallels drawn from other examples of reprehensible violence? Why, then they may do so.

Running time: 120 MIN. (Original title: "Kurtulus")

‘Salvation' Review: Mystical Visions, Folkloric Superstitions and Political Alarmism Combine to Unsettling Effect in Anatomy of a Massacre

The title of Turkish writer-director Emin Alper's Salvation (Kurtuluş) carries a bitter sting, pointing up how a perceived enemy threat can be manipulated to seed survivalist panic that escalates into genocide. Salvation for one side means elimination of the other, and establishing which is the righteous side can be entirely subjective, especially when the aggrieved become the aggressors. Those blurred boundaries are the subject of Alper's powerful slow-burn drama.

The movie is an occasionally confusing but mostly gripping account of inter-clan conflict fueled by the nightmares of an ordinary man, who overnight becomes a mystic religious leader. But it's also a timely and chilling allegory for strongmen rulers across the globe whose nationalist rhetoric fuels "us or them" hostility. Patient attention is required to sort out the characters and geography but once the fuse is fully lit and the material elevated by the introduction of dreams and superstitions, Salvation burns.

Unrest begins in a remote Turkish mountain village when the Hazeran clan, who fought off terrorist attacks to protect their community's land, learn that the Bezari tribe, who fled to the city for safety, have returned now that the threat has subsided. And they want their land back.For generations, the Bezaris bought up all the fertile land in the valley and grew rich off the backs of the Hazeran servant class. But in their absence, the Hazerans have been farming the fields, keeping the soil irrigated and planting crops. They have strong feelings about simply handing it back, especially before harvest time, asking why others should profit from their hard work, not to mention the sacrifices of those who died in the conflict. But the Bezaris have the gendarmerie on their side.

Book | AKP’nin Kültür Savaşı (2025) by Şenay Aydemir

Şenay Aydemir – AKP’nin Kültür Savaşı (2025)

In this work, Şenay Aydemir examines the long-term transformation of the culture and arts sector under the AKP governments as a "culture war," making visible both the structural framework of this war and the traces it leaves in daily life. The book reveals how the political line that began with the promise of a conservative alternative culture evolved over time into a control regime centered around the discourse of "local and national," prioritizing repression and control.

Aydemir analyzes the commercialization of the culture and arts sector and the transformation of the audience from citizens to consumers as a process intertwined with ideological manipulation. She demonstrates how the distribution of economic power, as well as the ruptures created by crises, produce mechanisms of denial, elimination, and destruction in this field. Alongside the grand narrative, she records the "miniature" scenes of this transformation with numerous concrete examples, ranging from TRT (Turkish Radio and Television Corporation) and the television series industry to theaters, film festivals, the re-dissolution of Yeşilçam (Turkish cinema), and the cultural consequences of the government's policies of appointing trustees to cultural institutions.

The book describes a climate where censorship is increasingly established in normalized, rather than overtly prohibitive, forms; and where self-censorship has become almost a reflex in cultural production. It presents today's cultural barrenness as a historical logbook, thus not only describing what has happened but also opening up a discussion about the political and social meaning of this narrowing of the culture and arts sector.

Publication details: Şenay Aydemir – AKP's Culture War: Art in the Grip of Destruction and Denial, İletişim Yayınları, analysis, 245 pages, 2025

A Brief History of Censorship of the Cinema of Turkey

in 34th Istanbul Film Festival

by Senay Aydemir[1]

The history of the cinema of Turkey, having existed already for 100 years, can also be considered as the history of censorship practices. What’s most intriguing is that the first-ever censorship practice in Turkey was applied by a Frenchman.

The  film titled “Mürebbiy”, shot in 1919 in Istanbul which was then occupied by the Allied forces after the First World War, was prohibited by the Commander of the French forces with the preamble that the film showed “a French woman to be devoid of morality”. After the Republic of Turkey was formed in 1923 the central administration decided to take over the situation and particularly when the number of films produced started increasing the administration passed a set of laws between the years 1932 to 1939 in order to tightly control and inspect these films. The censorship boards formed within the framework of these laws were composed of members from the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of National defense and also a member of the Turkish Armed Forces. Furthermore, the chiefs of police were granted the authorization to prevent the screening of any film that they saw fit.

This formation of the censorship board continued as it was, with only minor changes, until the year 1986, had the ambition of controlling films right during pre-production. Producers first submitted their screenplays to the board, and if the board approved of the screenplay only then could the producers fully green-light the film. That the board could sometimes demand for changes in a screenplay set in a village on the grounds that “showing the wheat ears perishing, and the redness of the sun is sheer communist propaganda, and that this might instill rebellion in the villagers” had become completely normal and ordinary. For this reason, the producers would always work on two screenplays. The first version would be submitted to the censorship board, and the second version was the one to be shot. After the film was completed, the producers submitted a different copy to the board and gave exhibitors a different copy for public screening. However, this was not always a very safe method of practice.

It’s essential to point out that these censorship practices lead to a series of interesting anecdotes. We can give two examples. The first one being, director Metin Erksan’s 1963 film “Dry Summer” (Susuz Yaz) which could not be screened in Turkey due to the censorship laws. The film’s 35mm copy was secretly transported to Germany in a suitcase and later received the Berlin Film Festival’s Golden Bear award in 1964. The second story is that of “The Road” (Yol) which was written by Yilmaz Güney and directed by Serif Gören, and was similarly smuggled abroad and went on to receive the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1982. The distribution and exhibition of these two films was banned in Turkey for a very long time.

In 1986 the censorship board was removed and the authorization to control films was passed on to the Ministry of Culture. This situation brought forth a relative relief for the film industry. However, starting from the second half of the 1990s, when films and documentaries about the consequences of the Kurdish issue had begun to be produced, problems arose once again. The authorities prohibited the screenings of these films not only through legal action but also through the national security forces.

With amendments to the Cinema Law in 2004 and 2005, the regulations pertaining to the inspection of screenplays before filming were removed. Producers and directors started freely filming their stories. However, in order to achieve commercial distribution, they had to apply for a “commercial exploitation permit” which was decided upon by a board composed of industry representatives and state officials. This specific permit can currently be used for the purpose of practicing censorship. For example, Lars von Trier’s “Nymphomaniac” could not be shown in Turkey because the film’s local distributors were denied this permit. However, the film could be screened in festivals.

An attempt to censor the Istanbul Film Festival in 1988 was disrupted when jury president Elia Kazan lead a protest demonstration against censorship. This action did bear fruit, as since then foreign films are not required to hold a Turkish commercial exploitation permit for their festival screenings. However, the regulations require that local films must hold this permit even for their festival screenings. In the past years festivals disregarded these regulations, however the Ministry of Culture is currently pushing for them to be observed regarding some specific films. The fact that “North” (Bakur) could not be screened at this year’s Istanbul Film Festival for lacking this permit goes to show that the government not only demands the control and inspection of the films in commercial distribution, but also their festival screenings.

Unfortunately, the words cinema and censorship have always gone hand in hand in Turkey. Although important steps have been taken and achieved against censorship, it still looks like there’s a long road ahead.

Edited by Carmen Gray
© FIPRESCI 2015

[1] Senay Aydemir

Film Critic, Turkey

Senay Aydemir started to work as a journalist in 1996. He has written for daily newspapers such as “Evrensel”, “Referans” and “Radikal” for more than 18 years. Since 1998 he has also been working as a film critic. He is a member of the National Association for Film Critics. He currently works as a freelance film critic and journalist for several publications.

 

The New Turkish Cinema: Authors and Identities

The New Turkish Cinema: Authors and Identities in 34th Istanbul Film Festival

by Giovanni Ottone [1]

The 34th International Istanbul Film Festival was heavily impacted by the censorship applied by the Turkish Ministry of Culture. Exactly in this critical situation, which continues to menace the freedom of expression of Turkish filmmakers and scriptwriters, it is absolutely necessary to mark the quality, the peculiarities and the values of the New Turkish Cinema

In Turkey, in the last two decades, a couple of new generations of auteurs went on stage and received great international recognition and consensus: many awards in the major festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Rotterdam and San Sebastian. In the first generation, we’re counting auteurs born at the beginning of the 1960s and we can include Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Yesim Ustaoglu, Zeki Demirkubuz, Dervis Zaim, Semih Kaplanoglu, Reha Erdem, Tayfun Pirselimoglu and others. In the second, we have filmmakers born in the 1970s and 1980s, who filmed their first full-length feature film during the last 10 years, and we can put Özcan Alper, Seyfi Teoman, Pelin Esmer, Özer Kizitan, Emin Alper, Seren Yüce, Ali Aydin, Mahmut Fazil Coskun, Sedat Yilmaz, Kazim Öz, Onur Ünlü, Asli Özge, Hüseyin Karabey and others. These independent filmmakers stood out and made quality arthouse films with limited budgets. They realized films showing a strong and original sense of narration and facing all the complexity of identity in a country that had, and is still having, a very controversial political and social transition.

These directors adopted an auteur approach, which questioned the premises of filmmaking through self-reflexivity, and obtained financial support from international festivals, funds and institutes. Although each film is a distinct project and the connections between the filmmakers do not define a true cultural movement, it can be considered that they largely share a common professional background: partial or no attendance at cinema schools; learning through the production of short films; the constant and decisive reference to their autobiographical experiences, hence the fact that they are very often also scriptwriters for their films; the sharing of a cinematographic independent ethos related to the use of limited budgets and the direction of the actors.

It is a cinema that has introduced elements to represent the different facets of the nation’s identity and the power conflicts at various levels, in the domestic, social, religious and political fields. It addresses in particular the crucial issues of being Turkish, historically determined and accrued over the last fifty years, and primarily the complexities of life and identity in the metropolis of Istanbul (the most represented urban space), in the province and/or in the countryside and the dialectic between these two poles. The contemporary generations of auteurs have often considered the province as a place of creative inspiration, and have highlighted its existential contradictions and multidimensional features with a never trivial complexity. The same gap and tension between the metropolis and the province have led many filmmakers (such as Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Seyfi Teoman, Ahmet Uluçay, Çagan Irmak) to reconsider the provincial rural areas of their childhood through childlike or adolescent characters, probing the awareness of a complicated attachment to the past and the impossibility of return to it. In other cases (such as Semih Kaplanoglu, Reha Erdem, Yesim Ustaoglu, Özcan Alper, Belma Bas), the province is represented as a monotonous and claustrophobic space where the lifestyle is unchangeable and where the nature, rich and cruel at the same time, is repeated rhythmically. Conversely, Istanbul is an ill-defined space that can be understood only on a fragmented basis, and that is represented in a disenchanted and realistic manner (by Zeki Demikubuz and Tayfun Pirselimoglu) or as an inhospitable place (by Nuri Bilge Ceylan).

It is indeed a personal cinema with a wide variety of styles and narrative approaches, but, from a thoroughly modern perspective, it expresses a common trait: the visual enhancement of the unsaid and the undone, thus of the emotions that the deep feeling or the monotony of daily life prevent from expressing openly. In almost all of the most important arthouse films of the last twenty years, there are characters unable to speak or uncomfortable with words, or unable to make others understand their feelings even when they speak about them. The absence of real conversations is directly related to the inability to express personal troubles in terms of communication. This is the sign of a naturally limited language, but also of sadness and frustration. Furthermore, in many cases, the unsaid concerns mainly socio-political issues, such as discrimination, prejudice, hidden violence, identity crisis and cultural amnesia. It is noticed the attempt to bring out the disguised dynamics of hegemony and to question what has been accepted as “natural behavior”. In any case, silence, although not in a literal or global sense, pervades these films. There is therefore a constant representation of unexpressed feelings, of lack of belonging and of resistance to identification with predetermined social codes. Many characters conceive their own existence in a transitional space. Their identity is always placed in a sort of limbo: between the city and the province, ethnic and political affiliation, or even between rationality and madness.

We choose to consider especially the last generation of filmmakers who made their first full-length feature film during the last ten years. They conceive new relations between their personal life experiences and social conscience. So they depict existential contradictions in families and among young people, feminine portraits, religious themes and moral dilemmas. We focus here only a few significant films, related to crucial themes. “Beyond the Hill” (Tepenin ardi, 2012), Emin Alper’s first feature, is a portrait of a patriarchal family obsessed with the fear of an unknown exterior enemy. “Wrong Rosary” (Uzak ihtimal, 2009), Mahmut Fazil Coskun’s first feature, deals with the relationship between different religious traditions and the existential contradictions in the modern metropolis Istanbul. “Men on the Bridge” (Köprüdekiler, 2009), Asli Özge’s first film, is a docu-drama that offers an unconventional portrait of Istanbul and tells stories of real life concerning individuals that live in the suburbs and work downtown. “Majority” (Çogunluk, 2010), Seren Yüze’s first feature, set in Istanbul, is a middle-class family drama that shows a society morally trapped in heavy contradictions and permeated by strong cultural prejudices.

Some filmmakers of the last generation chose to deal directly with political themes. Their films tell stories of brutal violence and repression by the state forces and institutions, such as police, judiciary authorities and the detention system, against the democratic activists and left-wing militants. They are not simple condemnation vehicles, rather true existential dramas. Basically we have films related to three different periods of Turkey’s last 50 years of history: the ’80s military coup d’état; the strong state era in the ’90s and the peak season of the student movement and labour disputes; the ambiguous current time with scandals concerning dirty business and transactions, corruption and plots and including politicians and religious leaders of Islamic brotherhoods. “Ayan Hanim” (2014), Levent Semerci’s second feature, is a dramatic experimental recreation of the tumultuous ’70s, the ’80s coup and the following years of state repression. “Autumn” (Sonbahar, 2008), Özcan Alper’s first feature, is one of the most remarkable films of the last decade. It masterfully blends an existential itinerary, symbolic of the frustration of a generation of students victimised the 1990s toward a heavy political defeat, and at the same time tells an impossible love story. “Mold” (Küf, 2012), Ali Aydin’s first film, set in a village in Anatolia, is a very bitter existential drama. It tells of the very sad quest of a father who, after many years, doesn’t know why his son, a young student, disappeared after being arrested by the police in Istanbul during the ’90s. “A Man’s Fear of God” (Takva, 2006), Özer Kiziltan’s excellent debut film, confronts the issue of the contradictory presence of religious organizations in social life and their activities. “Let’s Sin” (Itirazim var, 2014), Onur Ünlü’s most recent film, is a brilliant dark comedy with a thriller plot that includes explicit references the hypocrisy and the lust for power of many powerful people in the present Turkey.

Not to forget also the well known dramatic “Kurdish issue” that has become more and more present in the New Cinema. Many films made by the last generation of Kurdish or Turkish filmmakers concern the life conditions in Turkish Kurdistan: personal stories often recreating real events. Here we focus on some of the most significant features. “The Storm” (Bahoz / Firtina, 2008), Kurdish Kazim Öz’s second film, is a moving portrait of the politicization process of a group of Kurdish university students, at the beginning of the 1990s. “The Children of Diyarbakir” (Ben Gördüm / Min Dît, 2009), Kurdish Miraz Bezar’s first feature, recreates the tragic situation that happened during the 1990s in the most important town of Turkish Kurdistan. “Press” (2010), Sedat Yilmaz’s first feature, is inspired by the true story of the daily newspaper “Özgur Gündem”, published in Dyarbakir between 1992 and 1994 and shut down by the Turkish authorities after the declaration of emergency rule in the region. It’s a story of brave resistance in the face of a continuous boycott and repression. “On the Way to School” (Iki dil bir bavul, 2008), Orhan Eskiköy and Kurdish Zeynel Dogan’s first film,  is a mix of fiction and documentary. It’s the story of a newcomer Turkish teacher who works in a remote primary school in the south-eastern region and must deal with Kurdish children who don’t have any previous knowledge of the Turkish language. “Voice of My Father” (Babamin sesi, 2012) is the second remarkable feature of those same two directors, and is a minimalistic and moving poetic meditation concerning a painful family story in a tormented land.

Considering the 34th Istanbul Film Festival’s program, we  must stress the fact that, also this year, there were some films selected related to crucial political  matters. Although those films were not shown in public screenings due to the particular situation related to the decisions of the Turkish filmmakers after the boycott by the Turkish Ministry of Culture, we must at least mention a few of them. “You Tell About Me” (Beni sen anlat, 2014), Mahur Özmen’s second feature, is the story of a middle-class family forced to hide after the 12th September 1980 military coup. “Homo politicus” (2014), Haci Orman’s debut short, is a stage film, the first fiction produced in Turkey about the Armenian Genocide. It reproduces a historical meeting held in 1915: Johannes Lepsius, an influential theologian, who acts on behalf of German missionaries, visits Enver Pasha, the most powerful general of Turkey, in order to stop the Ottoman “deportation” policy regarding the Armenians. “June Fire” (Haziran yangini), the fourth documentary by Gürkan Hacir, tells the story of Ethem Sarisülük, who was murdered in Ankara on the 1st of June 2013 when the police used real bullets in Kizilay Square during a mass demonstration against the repression of the Gezi Park Protests in Istanbul.

Regarding the Festival’s National Competition we can only review a couple of features, already presented to a public audience in previous festivals. “Snow Pirates” (Kar korsanlari, 2014), Faruk Hacihafizoglu’s first feature, is an intense coming-of-age film set against the backdrop of the 1980 military coup. In Kars, a remote small town in eastern Turkey, during a harsh, cold winter the people need coal for heating their homes, but the stock supplies are assigned only to a few state offices and privileged individuals. Three children, Serhat, Gurbuz and Ibo, are forced to scour the neighbourhoods for any other source of coal. They are largely unaware of the significance and threat of everything happening around them. But with soldiers seizing coal in the depths and patrolling the streets and the railway station, and things getting worse every day, they have no choice but to deal with the grinding reality of life. Radio broadcasts and news bulletins in the background serve to keep the viewer appraised of the deteriorating political situation, and then there is the sight of political prisoners with paper bags over their heads, taken away inside suspect cars. Faruk Hacihafizoglu gives a genuine and quite rigorous portrait of the time of the military dictatorship, seen through the eyes of three 12 to 13 year-old boys. He carefully describes the difficult life within the families and, above all, he focuses on the boys’ own views and actions and their spirit of solidarity. Besides some nice moments of black humour, the film slowly ratchets up the pressure, avoiding any kind of rhetorical temptation and using a sparing use of music. The three young protagonists’ acting manages to bring to life a believable and realistic friendship and their unswerving sense of optimism. “Until I Lose My Breath” (Nefesin kesilene kadar, 2015), Emine Emel Balci’s debut film, is a controversial intimate drama about a daughter-father relationship in a proletarian context. Serap, an immature motherless late teenager, skinny and not pretty nor pleasant, works as a runner in a textile factory in Istanbul. She lives with her sister and her husband, who both treat her badly with heavy humiliations, but she longs for her father, a long-distance truck driver, and to finally rent a flat for the two of them. She does everything she can to make sure her wish comes true, saving her wages, lying and even stealing. Her stubborn perseverance reverses the standard parent-child relationship, as she obsessively looks after her father, giving him money and presents. But the man always comes up with new excuses, lies to her and clearly is not interested in being tied down. Emine Emel Balci depicts a kind of heroine, equal parts naive, grotesque, spiteful and revengeful, showing her emotional dependence on a largely absent, cynical and reticent father. She is a mixed-up character who hasn’t the skills to sustain even a friendship and acts with senselessness and malice. Despite an interesting side portrait of a laboring low class trying to get by on the miserable fringes of Istanbul, the film is not convincing because it lacks a real sense of drama, proposes some unbelievable circumstances and makes the protagonist absolutely one-dimensional, denying her anything but destructive agency. What’s more, Emine Emel Balci chooses to keep the camera constantly on Serap, in order to conceive a way of forcing viewer identification. That shot-from-the-back-of-the head aesthetic with bouncy handheld camera, an unoriginal imitation of the  Dardenne brothers’ style, so common in recent indie cinema all over the world, produces a forced proximity, feels oppressive and doesn’t enhance intensity. That’s why, in the end, the film doesn’t come to be a story of alienation and loneliness, rather a tale of a character who is the victim of her own stupidity: probably not the director’s desired message to express a criticism of the present society and traditional concepts of gender and family in Turkey.

 

Edited by Carmen Gray

© FIPRESCI 2015

[1] Giovanni Ottone

Film Critic, ItalyGiovanni Ottone is an expert, in particular, in Latin American, Spanish, Portuguese, Scandinavian and Turkish Cinemas. He has published books and essays on these subjects. He currently writes film criticism in Italy for the magazines “Vivilcinema”, “Cinecritica” and “Essere Secondo Natura”. He is a member of  the Pesaro International Film Festival’s selection board.

Rules and Standards for Location Filming in Istanbul.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has announced new regulations for film and television series productions in Istanbul, aiming to ensure a planned and professional process. The new regulations will make filming processes more predictable while also prioritizing environmental considerations. 

According to a statement from the Ministry, the 'Film Shooting Application Principles,' prepared under the leadership of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's General Directorate of Cinema and the Istanbul Governorship, and in consultation with relevant public institutions, local governments, and industry representatives, have come into effect.

The regulations, implemented in Istanbul, one of Türkiye's and the world's most important open-air film locations, aim to protect urban life, accelerate the operational processes of the industry, and ensure that filming activities are conducted within clear rules. With the new regulations, Istanbul residents will benefit from a system that minimizes disruption to their daily lives and provides prior notification, while domestic and foreign production teams will be able to conduct filming processes more easily and systematically thanks to simplified procedures and clear rules.

THE CITY DIVIDED INTO 3 ZONE

Within the scope of the regulations, Istanbul has been divided into three main filming zones, taking into account traffic and population density. In the first zone, which covers the most densely populated areas, filming will be limited to a maximum of 7 large vehicles; working hours will be until 00:00 in the winter and 01:00 in the summer. In the second zone, filming will be possible with a maximum of 11 large vehicles, within the working hours determined for the first zone. In the third zone, there will be no limitation on the number of vehicles, and working hours will be applied more flexibly. In addition, designated night filming zones will allow filming between 23:00 and 06:00. A minimum distance of one kilometer will be required between different film sets operating on the same date.

7-DAY RULE INTRODUCED FOR APPLICATION PROCESSES

According to the new regulations, notifications and permit applications for filming in public areas must be submitted to the relevant administrative authority at least seven days before the filming date. For filming that will affect traffic flow or require road closures, applications must also be submitted to the relevant district governor's office and municipality within the same timeframe.

The implementation guidelines include significant facilitations and discounts aimed at reducing production costs. Under these guidelines, projects supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and productions using three or fewer large vehicles on location, will only pay one-quarter of the determined fee. No fee will be charged for filming carried out with handheld equipment and not occupying public space.

In the new period, sensitivity to the environment and urban culture is also prioritized. It is now mandatory to inform local residents 24 hours before filming; preventing the use of single-use plastics on sets, strictly adhering to waste management rules, and showing maximum sensitivity to avoid damaging historical structures are also emphasized.

FILMING COORDINATION UNITS WILL BE ESTABLISHED

To ensure the efficient and coordinated execution of the processes, District Filming Coordination Units will be established in each district, chaired by the district governor, and consisting of at least three members from the metropolitan municipality, the district municipality, and relevant institutions. All details regarding the Film Filming Implementation Guidelines can be accessed on the official websites of the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism and the Istanbul Governorship.

One of the World's First Female Directors: Cahide Sonku

Cahide Sonku, who began her career as an actress in the 1930s, made history as the first female star of Turkish cinema by achieving great fame with Aysel Bataklı's film Damın Kızı (The Damın Kızı). Sonku, who had already achieved a successful career with her films, completed her 1949 film "Fedakâr Ana" (Fellow Mother) when director Seyfi Havaeri became ill. This film marked Cahide Sonku's directorial debut. After founding Sonku Film in 1950, she pioneered women in the film industry, producing films such as Vatan ve Namık Kemal (1951), Beklenen Şarkı (1953), and Büyük Sır (1956).

Grave of Cahide Sonku, Zincirlikuyu Cemetery, Istanbul.

Cahide Sonku (born Cahide Serap; 27 December 1912 – 18 March 1981) was a Turkish actress, model, writer and the first female film director in Turkey. Sonku was the founder of her own movie production company, Sonku Film, in 1950. She was thrice married and divorced.

Sonku' first theater and cinema experience was during her secondary school education. She was accepted into Darülbedayi when she was only 16 years old, and in time she took her place among the most popular actors of Istanbul City Theatres. She started acting with "Seven Village Zeynebi" first at the People's Houses Theater, then at the Istanbul Municipality Conservatory, and then at Darülbedayi (1932-City Theaters), discovered by Muhsin Ertuğrul who was an important figure in Sonku's career.

Sonku founded the production company "Sonku Film" in 1950 and however went bankrupt in 1963 due to a fire that burned down the company building. She continued working at the City Theater through Muhsin Ertuğrul's influence, then left and struggled with alcohol addiction in the last years of her life.

Sonku received the Turkish Film Critics Association service award in 1979 and died in 1981 at the Alkazar Cinema in Istanbul, at the age of 61. She was buried in Zincirlikuyu Cemetery. Cahide Sonku Prize is awarded in her memory at the annual Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival.

Cultural depictions

• In 1989, the series Cahide is based from life of Cahide Sonku. It starring Hale Soygazi as Cahide.

• In 2013, the short film "Kayıkçı" starring Merih Fırat as Cahide.

• In 2014, the short film "100-5=Cahide" starring Farah Zeynep Abdullah as Cahide.

•  In 2016, the short film "Cahide" starring İpek Bilgin as Cahide.