Istanbul Film Festival

• MEETINGS ON THE BRIDGE START Meetings on the Bridge, the sixth of which will take place this year, aims to create a platform for the cinema industry to meet. It brings together producers, directors, scriptwriters, and industry representatives from both Europe and Turkey, giving filmmakers a chance to do their projects’ first international presentation and creating a common ground for co-productions. The first meeting will take place at 9.30 in the French Palace. The meeting for Turkish-French co-productions, will last until 18.00.

• CLAIRE DENIS FILM MUSICS 1996-2009 TINDERSTICKS CONCERT In its 30th year, Istanbul Film Festival hosts an unequaled project that brings together two names from the music and cinema worlds. Claire Denis, one of the “auteur” directors of the French cinema, and the British rock group Tindersticks, with whom she collaborates frequently in her films, meet in Istanbul under Istanbul Film Festival’s 30th Year Special Event. The concert will take place at 21.00 in Fulya Sanat.

• THE SON COMES TO THE FESTIVAL FOR THE FIRST TIME Directed by Atilla Cengiz, The Son, which stars Rıza Akın in the leading role, will be screened at 11.00 in Atlas. Atilla Cengiz will attend the screening, which will be holding its premiere in the Festival. •

• WHITE MATERIAL WITH DENIS Acknowledged director Claire Denis, who is also the president of this year’s Festival jury, will attend the screening of her latest film White Material. Following a fragmented story-telling particular to Denis, the film follows Maria, a strong-headed white woman, who owns coffee plantations in an unnamed African country torn by a violent rebellion. Leading actress Isabelle Huppert is charming as always. It can be seen at 11.00 in Fitaş 4.

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• THE CONSEQUENCES OF CHILD ABUSE The traumatic consequences of childhood sexual abuse is delicately and sensitively tackled in Elisa K, the first collaboration between Catalan directors Judith Colell and Jordi Cadena. Director Judith Colell will attend the screening at 13.30 in Atlas.

• IF FOOTBAALL GETS TANGLED IN THE CRIME WORLD The documentary that examines the intersection of sports, crime, and politics via two Colombians that are a world apart personality-wise, The Two Escobars can be seen at 13.30 in Fitaş 1. Michael Zimbalist, one of the film’s directors, will attend the screening. •

• A NEW FEMALE DIRECTOR Hatice Yakar’s first feature film Furious Madness Somber Suffering takes place in Çukurova in the 1960s. Yakar will attend the film’s first screening at 13.30 in Beyoğlu.

• A HEARTWARMING FILM In The Plane Tree, a heartwarming family film, which appeals to everyone, Handan İpekçi, one of the leading female directors of Turkish cinema, balances the elements of drama and comedy. The film’s screening will take place at 16.00 in Atlas, with the participation of İpekçi.

• TRAN ANH HUNG IS IN ISTANBUL The much-anticipated film by Tran Anh Hung, who had directed The Scent of Green Papaya and Cyclo, Norwegian Wood can be seen at 16.00 Fitaş 4. Adapted from Haruki Murakami’s 1987 novel by the same name, the film revolves around the themes of love, death, the loss of innocence, heartbreak and awakening sexuality. Director Tran Anh Hung will attend the screening.

• ÖZGENTÜRK’S LAST FILM Ali Özgentürk’s last film Unseen will make its premiere during the Festival. The film takes as its basis the journal entries written by the director’s grandfather fifty years ago and narrates the hard journey taken by Hungarian Béla Bartók, one of the brightest classical music composers of the era, to Anatolia in order to discover Turkish music in the 30s, and its reflections on the present day. Özgentürk will answer questions by the audience following the screening at 19.00 in Atlas.

• YOUR SON, ERDAL One of the most discussed documentaries of this year, Your Son, Erdal will be screened at 19.00 in Beyoğlu. Through the short stories of Sinan Suner, Zekeriya Önge, Erdal Eren, and Ercan Koca, Your Son, Erdal attempts to remind us of the dark period in Turkey between 1977 and 1984 and to deliver that period from a cold perception of history, making it more humane. Director Tunç Erenkuş will attend the screening.

• AN EXTRAORDINARY AUTOBIOGRAPHY Considered as one of the pioneers of New Queer Cinema, in his debut Massillon, American video artist William E. Jones recounts his own story without using any actors, but by combining his own voice with images. Exhibited in many contemporary art institutions, this extraordinary autobiography can be seen at 19.00 in Pera. Jones will answer questions after the screening.

• FOR JULIEN TEMPLE FANS Considered to be documentary and music video director Julien Temple’s best film to date, Oil City Confidential can be seen at 21.30 in Fitaş 1. Temple’s trilogy on British music ends with a prequel to his landmark films about punk figureheads the Sex Pistols in The Filth & The Fury and Joe Strummer in The Future Is Unwritten. A talk with ackonowledged director Temple will follow the screening.

IFF PRESS RELEASE