Istanbul

ISTANBUL

A five-day first Korkut Ata Turkic World Film Festival will begin in Istanbul on Nov. 8.

Organized by Turkey's Culture and Tourism Ministry in collaboration with the International Cinema Association, the Turkic Council, TURKSOY, TRT, Istanbul University, and a number of other institutions and organizations, the festival will host more than 100 filmmakers and actors, and screen 42 films from 13 countries at Tarik Zafer Tunaya Cultural Center in Beyoglu.

Selected films from the Turkic world will be screened for the audience, whether they are from an independent state, an autonomous republic, or a region where Turkish and its dialects are spoken.

Countries participating in the festival include Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Hungary, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Autonomous Sakha Republic, Moldova's autonomous Gagauzia region, the Russian Republic of Tatarstan, and Iraqi Turkmens.

Beyoglu Mayor Ahmet Misbah Demircan said at a meeting to discuss the festival's final arrangements that a total of eight feature films and nine documentaries will compete, with different jury panels selecting the best films in each category. The festival will also feature 25 non-competitive films, he added.

He informed that they also have planned to hold the second Korkut Ata Turkic World Film Festival in the country's northwestern Bursa province, which has been named the 2022 culture capital of the Turkic World.

Deputy Secretary-General of the Turkic Council Sultanbai Raevi, also said: “As Turkic states, we should further develop our relations in the field of cinema. This festival is a valuable initiative that brings our people together.”

Moreover, as part of the festival, the first Cinema Summit of Turkic World will be held to discuss the ways of creating a common fund for cinema among Turkish-speaking countries.

All details are available on the event's website – www.bogazicifilmfestivali.com.

*Writing by Burak Dag in Ankara