“The London Turkish Film Festival is a labour of love and that speaks volumes for the energy and tenacity of its director, Vedide Kaymak.”
David Parkinson, Empire Magazine
A showcase for outstanding and innovative Turkish film both contemporary and classic, the 17th London Turkish Film Festival promises to deliver a programme of films that will challenge, entertain and inspire. With an enviable line up that also includes the latest films from established directors such as Nuri Bilge Ceylan (‘Once Upon a Time in Anatolia’); Dervis Zaim (‘Shadows and Faces’) and Sedat Yilmaz (‘Press’), the emphasis this year will be on emerging talent, providing an important platform for a new generation of Turkish film-makers working both at home and abroad.
Festival director Vedide Kaymak comments ‘Over the last decade, Turkish filmmakers, not only in Turkey, but also those living in the rest of the world, have found new creative directions, making critically acclaimed films, and winning awards all over the world. The LTFF has always had an inclusive approach towards programming, and I am especially excited by our programme this year. Now in its 17th year, our festival has grown from a small three-day event to a full-scale two week festival and this year we have been able to push the boundaries further than ever. We are privileged to be able to open up the new trans-cultural Turkish cinema to new audiences in venues across London.’
Gracing the red carpet for the Opening Night Gala will be legendary Italian actress Claudia Cardinale, star of classic films by Fellini, Visconti and Leone. Cardinale stars in Ali Ilhan’s delightful first feature ‘Being Italian with Signora Enrica’, a heart warming comedy-drama about an elderly Italian woman who takes in a young Turkish exchange student.
Other highlights of the festival include Tayfun Pirslimoglu’s ‘Hair’, which won both best Turkish Film and best Director at the 2011 Istanbul Film Festival; ‘September’, the first feature from photographer Cemil Agacikoglu; ‘Do Not Forget Me Istanbul’, a portrait of Istanbul as seen through the eyes of six young International directors and ‘Home’, the first feature from actor Muzatffer Ozdemir, best known for his role in Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s ‘Distant’, for which he won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Eight films will this year be competing for the coveted Golden Wings Digiturk Digital Distribution Award, a unique £30,000 prize judged by an international panel, which enables the winning film to be released in cinemas throughout the UK and Ireland. The distinguished Jury for 2011 includes Dave Calhoun, Film Editor at Time Out London, and leading Turkish actor Mehmet Aslantug who has been a familiar face on cinema and tv screens since1981 and is a regular participant in film festivals worldwide. This year, the 2011 Golden Wings Lifetime Achievement Award will go to “angel of Turkish Cinema” Hulya Kocyigit.
The London Turkish Film Festival (LTFF) was inaugurated by Vedide Kaymak in 1993, and has become a vital event in the London cultural scene. Over its 17 year history, the festival has screened over 250 feature and 350 short and documentary films at many of the capital’s most prestigious cinemas.
But the Festival has now become much more than just a running showcase for Turkish film. The introduction of the three Golden Wings Awards in 2009 has added an even greater vibrancy and importance to an event which includes programmes of short films, panel discussions, and visiting guests from across the world. The 17th LTFF promises once again to be an exciting and groundbreaking event.
xx - posted on 23/05/2012 13:13:28
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