18th Flying Broom International Women’s Film Festival contest jury of “18 short films in 5 minutes” has announced all the participants as “winners” and stated that they would withdraw.
“We hope that we don’t experience difficulties in vain. In spite of everything, the art of movie and film festival will continue with not preventive but supportive laws,” said jury members and explained that they would withdraw since they wanted to support the films which had no chance of releasing in festivals.
The jury members Berrin Balay, Eren Yüksel, Andreas Treske, Pelin Anılan (Juvenile Council Member) and İdil Kandil (Juvenile Council Member) stated: “We announce that all films, short films and documentarists who participated in this contest as winners because they still continue to make films in this country.”
What happened?
On 34th Istanbul Film Festival, the documentary about fighters of PKK, Bakur (North), of director Ertuğrul Mavioğlu and Çayan Demirel, was prevented one day before its estimated screening date on the grounds that documentary was illegal.
Prevention of Bakur made the cancellation of the contest since the movie makers withdrew and then the cancellation of Ankara Film Festival documentary and short films contest was announced. The festival explained that this decision came from the law which prevents the screening of the films on Istanbul Film Festival.
Ankara International Film Festival said: “We are against the censorship under the name of recording and the registration of the production,” and they withdrew.
On 18 April Saturday, Film lovers, film workers and film writers marched on Istiklal Avenue. They said “Cinema is Free” in spite of all censorship and preventions. (ÇT/BD)
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