Turkish Days

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Turkish-Hungarian diplomatic relations, this year’s festival is prepared with a special program called “Turkish Days”. The Turkish program will take place between September 7 and 9. In the documentary
competition program of the festival, the film Eclipse will be screened, and outside the competition, 2 new Turkish films (Hayat, Bildiğin Gibi Değil) will be premiered. A delegation of filmmakers and Turkish film specialists is coming to the event.

TURKISH CINEMA INDUSTRY

It is widely accepted that the film depicting the destruction of the Ayastefanos monument in Istanbul on November 14, 1914, recorded by Fuat Uzkınay, a soldier with the army, marks the beginning of the Turkish Cinema. The subsequent years of production have largely revolved around these core themes. An increase in the number of movies marks the period between 1960s-1975 which in now called the Golden Age of Turkish Cinema. The 1960s marked the pinnacle of production efficiency in Turkish cinema, a period characterized by the consistent release of high-quality Turkish films, coinciding with the emergence of a distinct national identity in cinema. However, in the 1970s, the growing interest in television began to draw audiences away from cinemas, leading to the closure of many movie theaters and a contraction in the film industry. Starting in the 1980s, the “star system” waned, and films were no longer identified by their lead actors but rather by their directors, signifying a transformation in Turkish cinema. The Turkish cinema industry faced the economic crisis in the 1990s, and production dropped to fewer than ten films per year. In the 2000s, changes in audience preferences were observed, prompting notable shifts in storytelling among filmmakers. The technical quality of Turkish films reached international standards, and Turkish films began attracting audiences numbering in the millions.

PRODUCTION AND FUNDING

The Turkish film industry has been supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism since 2005. The purpose of these supports is to promote the development of the cinema sector, increase the number of high-quality and original productions, and introduce new directors, producers, actors, and screenwriters to the industry. As a result of this support, the quantity of national films released has increased from 18 in 2004 to 147 in 2023. In 2023, the national film share reached 44% (the highest in Europe), in comparison to 9% in 2002. In recent years, Turkish cinema has not only achieved success in production and at the box office but has also secured significant accomplishments on the international stage. Turkish films have won awards at some of the world’s most prestigious international events such as Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Moscow, and Tokyo Film Festivals, as well as the Asia Pacific Film Awards, increasing its profile worldwide. In recent years, with the rise in both the audience and film numbers, a growing diversity in production, and the accumulation of international awards, Turkish cinema is steadily advancing on its path to establishing itself as a recognized brand.

Eclipse (CineDocs) (Eclipse)
documentary, 2024 79 min
D.: Efe Oztezdoğan, Ipek Kent

Life (Turkish Days) (Hayat)
drama, 2023 193 min
D.: Zeki Demirkubuz

A better tomorrow (Turkish Days) (Daha Iyi Bir Yarın)
drama, sci-fi, 2021 94 min
D.: Emre Kavuk

CineFest
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