ARTS-CULTURE cu-movies
!f Istanbul celebrates decade of independent film
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News | 2/15/2011 12:00:00 AM |
The 10th !f istanbul AFM International Independent Film Festival starts Thursday in Istanbul. The festival will continue through Feb. 27 in the city and move to Ankara on March 2. Under various sections, the festival will screen some of the year’s most talked-about films and Oscar contenders as well as award-winning films by legendary directors. It will also offer workshops and post-screening discussions
The !f Istanbul AFM International Independent Film Festival, Turkey’s premier festival dedicated to cutting-edge cinema, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. This year’s edition promises many award-winning films from around the world, a brand new partnership with the Sundance Institute and the chance to meet world-renowned directors. The festival will run from Thursday to Feb. 27 in Istanbul and from March 2 to 6 in Ankara.
The Sundance Institute, founded by Robert Redford in 1981, which manages the Sundance Film Festival, selected Istanbul this year as one of 14 locations worldwide for its Film Forward program, initiated under the incentive of U.S. President Barack Obama to develop worldwide intercultural dialogue. !f will be screening nine Film Forward titles and hosting several of the film’s directors for workshops and post-screening discussions.
In addition to noted Hollywood screenwriters Bill Wheeler and Wesley Strick, acclaimed Israeli author and director Etgar Keret and several Sundance Institute directors will be in Istanbul for a three-day marathon on developing screenwriting skills, including a panel discussion, a case study and presentations.
The festival’s Hit Films section will feature some of the year’s most talked-about films and Oscar contenders such as Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan,” Lisa Cholodenko’s “The Kids Are Alright,” Argentina’s Foreign Language Oscar entry “Carancho,” “True Grit” from the Coen Brothers and Deborah Granik’s “Winter’s Bone.”
Other themed sections include “Real/Unreal,” “Generation” and “Fantastic Films.”
The festival expands to a fourth venue in Istanbul this year. In addition to Beyoğlu AFM Fitaş, Caddebostan AFM Budak, and AFM İstinye Park, the films will show in Cinebonus Maçka G-Mall.
[HH] Legendary director Alejandro Jodorowsky comes to Istanbul
Chilean director Alejandro Jodorowsky, who has influenced countless artists and directors, from John Lennon to David Lynch, will be in Istanbul for the first ever Turkish theatrical screening of his 1989 cult film “Santa Sangre,” one of Empire Magazine’s 500 Greatest Movies of All Times. Newly restored, the film will be shown on Feb. 20.
Jodorowsky, the acclaimed director of cult classics such as “El Topo” and “The Holy Mountain,” is also renowned for his spiritual writing and research. The director will be giving a special talk open to everyone on Feb. 22 in Istanbul.
[HH] ‘!f 2: Istanbul Live’ to broadcast five festival films
“!f 2: Istanbul Live,” a project initiated last year in cooperation with the world-renowned online film site MUBI to simultaneously screen five festival films in several cities, is expanding this year from 15 cities to 25.
The project, designed to take festival films to audiences in underserved cities across Turkey and neighboring territories and to encourage broader dialogue, began last year. Audiences in Istanbul and all participating cities watch five films at the same time on the closing weekend of the festival. In addition, audiences in all places will participate in discussions with filmmakers following the screenings.
The !f Inspired competition this year includes some of the year’s most talked-about titles like “Le Quattro Volte,” Romain Gavras’ “Our Day Will Come,” “22nd of May” and “Adrienn Pal.”
The competition carries a $15,000 award and aims to position Istanbul as a global center for young and innovative cinema while bringing together key cinema professionals around a selection of eight films from Turkey and around the world. The international jury, headed by director Hüseyin Karabey, will choose a “Most Inspired Director” based on the criteria of bold storytelling and innovative techniques.
!f Istanbul also introduces its audiences this year to “live cinema.” Supported by the U.S. State Department, !f will feature two unique performances of “Utopia in 4 Movements,” by acclaimed director Sam Green.
In addition, !f will feature a one-off showing of “Zare,” the first-ever Kurdish film, with live accompaniment by the U.K.-based Kurdish musician Tara Jaff on the harp.
[HH] Festival events at The Hall
This year !f Istanbul is setting up its festival center at The Hall. The festival center will also feature unique examples of interactive cinema films, which are determined by viewer participation. One of these films, “Planet Galata,” will be viewed both linearly and interactively with the participation of the producer, Florian Thalhofar.
Geoff Marslett, the director of “Mars,” which will be screened as a part of the Fantastic Films section, will be at Dirty Cheap Creative Studio in Istanbul on Feb. 24 to give a workshop on animation called “From Mars to Earth : A Blue Box Animation Workshop with Geoff Marslett.”
!f promises to celebrate its 10th year in style. The Opening Party, Rainbow Party and Closing Party are just some of the classics that !f Istanbul brings to liven up the city.
Horsemeat Disco will feature on the opening night. A celebration of alternative lifestyles, the Rainbow Night party will feature Berlin’s DJ Metzgerei, with a groovy sound ranging from electro-pop to minimal techno, and various local DJs.
The film “24 Hour Party People” will be screened in !f’s “best of 10” selection of films. To mark the occasion, the festival will throw a special 24 Hour Party People bash, featuring Mabbas.
Festival tickets are sold on www.mybilet.com. Early bird sales are Feb. 25-27th for Ankara. Ticket sales at the box offices started on Feb. 8 in Istanbul and will start Feb. 28 in Ankara.