Turkish cinema’s ‘sultan’ attends Ankara International Film Festival opening
ANKARA-Hürriyet Daily News
The 23rd Ankara International Film Festival opened at a ceremony March 15. Special guests included actress Türkan Şoray and writer, director and producer Safa Önal. Making the opening speech at the ceremony, World Mass Media Research Foundation (DKIAV) chairman Oğuz Dönmez said cinema was a branch of art contributing to aesthetic feelings.
The festival’s Oak of Art Awards were presented at the ceremony to professor Hamiyet Çolakoğlu, in recognition of her status as a striking figure in Turkey’s contemporary art scene, and photography artist İbrahim Demirel.
The Mass Media Award was presented to Panayot Abacı of Orkestra magazine. Abacı has written for Orkestra for more than 40 years, overcoming all of the difficulties associated with publishing during this period. He has translated important articles by and about many composers and musicians and has contributed much to the musical education of Turkey’s youth.
Burçak Evren, a journalist, film critic, teacher, author, and activist, won the Aziz Nesin Endeavor Award.
Şoray’s film “Vesikalı Yarim” (My Licensed Love) was shown at the end of the ceremony.
The festival will continue until March 22 in venues including Kızılırmak Cinema, Batı Cinema, Goethe-Institut Ankara, and the Çankaya Municipality Contemporary Arts Center.
