BLOG

The İstanbul Film Festival, the most established international cinema event in Türkiye, is preparing to meet with movie enthusiasts again in its 44th year. The festival, which has become one of the indispensable cultural stops of April, will once again bring national and international productions by both experienced directors and young talents to the audience this year. 

There are many films, from Wim Wenders' "Paris, Texas", which tells the story of a man who got lost in his life, to Alper Özcan's documentary "Bölük Pörçük - A Tuncel Kurtiz Biography". The selection includes Wild at Heart, which won David Lynch the Palme d’Or and Jacques Demy’s unforgettable musical The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece Pulp Fiction, which was released in Türkiye 30 years ago in April 1995, will also be brought to the silver screen again with a restored copy. 

The festival, which is organized by the İstanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), is being sponsored by N Kolay this year. The event, which will take place between April 11-22, promises a packed program with inspiring performances from masters of cinema to young talents.

Films Will Meet with Audiences in Seven Different Theaters

The 44th İstanbul Film Festival includes 139 feature-length and 15 short films. The selection that will satisfy film enthusiasts with cinema will accompany notable productions of world cinema with local films. Before the films meet with the audience, the directors and actors whose works will be exhibited at the festival will make presentations of their films. After the screening, they will answer questions from film enthusiasts and shed light on the narrative of the productions.

The halls where the films will be shown are as follows:

• Beyoğlu Cinema
• Atlas 1948
• CineWAM Premium+ City’s Nişantaşı (Hall 3 and Hall 7)
• Kadıköy Cinema
• Cinematheque/Cinema House
• Paribu Cineverse Nautilus.

In addition to director and actor presentations, the festival will also feature special screenings, talks and events. In this case, the festival aims to reach the richness that it promises this year, as it does every year.

Competitions and Selections That Add Excitement to the Festival

The İstanbul Film Festival generally brings together competitions and special selections. Altın Lale (The Golden Tulip), Yeni Bakışlar (New Perspectives)  and Kısa Film (Short Film) Competition are candidates to increase the excitement of the festival.

In the Altın Lale (The Golden Tulip) Competition, 15 films will be presented to the audience for awards. In addition, domestic and foreign works will be evaluated together in this category. The jury chairman of the Altın Lale (The Golden Tulip) is Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur. Kapur is accompanied by the producer Ada Solomon, screenwriter and director Ebru Ceylan, actress Saadet Işıl Aksoy and Toronto International Film Festival artistic director and co-chair Cameron Bailey.

Yeni Bakışlar Yarışması (The New Perspectives Competition) includes the first and second films of young directors. The first prize in this category will be given in memory of director and screenwriter Seyfi Teoman, who passed away at a young age with the contributions of Paribu.

Kısa Film Yarışması (The Short Film Competition) will be held with the screening of 12 films that are sponsored by Anadolu Efes. In this competition, the works of local and foreign directors will compete fiercely and present a visual feast to the audience.

In addition to these three main categories, special awards will be presented to filmmakers at the festival. The most striking of these is undoubtedly the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) award. BSB, Film-Yön and SİYAD will evaluate the films at the festival with their independent juries and give special awards. In addition, Film-Yön will present the Best Director Award in memory of master director Şerif Gören.

The Opening Film: Köln 75

The opening film of the festival has been determined as Köln 75. Premiering in the Berlinale Special Gala section of the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, Köln 75 tells the story of famous jazz pianist Keith Jarrett’s 1975 Köln concert and the 18-year-old Vera Brandes who organized this historic concert. The concert is also considered a turning point in the jazz world. The production, which is a German music drama, is directed by Ido Fluk, while John Magaro and Mala Emde share the leading roles. One of the most enjoyable pieces of news is that the cast of Köln 75 will also be present at the festival's premiere.

Masters Are Not Forgotten: Special Awards

Sinema Onur Ödülü ve Emek Ödülü (The Cinema Honorary Award and Labor Award) will also be presented to their winners as part of the festival. It was announced that the Cinema Honorary Award will be given to Zuhal Olcay, who has produced many important works in the fields of cinema, theater and music. The Labor Award will be presented to producer Gülin Üstün. Gülin Üstün, who has been a part of (Köprüde Buluşmalar)Meetings on the Bridge since 2006, was a manager on the platform between 2010 and 2023.

Tickets Are on Sale

The 44th İstanbul Film Festival tickets began pre-sale for İKSV Lale Card members on Monday, March 24 at a discount. Following the pre-sale, tickets were offered to all movie enthusiasts on Thursday, March 27. It was announced that the film screenings at the festival will be held at 11:00, 13:30, 16:00, 19:00 and 21:30. In addition, all seats at the Cinematheque/Cinema House will be unnumbered. You can purchase your tickets right away for the films to be shown at this enjoyable art festival and meet the fascinating selection.

You might also be interested in these articles:

• Istanbul Culture and Art Events - March 2025

• The Best Concept Cafes That You Need to See in Istanbul

• Atatürk Cultural Center Guide: What’s in the Renovated AKM?

• A Guide to Anatolian Side Museums

• 8 Restaurants That Are Famous for Their Views in Istanbul