Press awarded Special Juri Prize at Istanbul Film Festival
Press awarded Special Juri Prize at Istanbul Film Festival
The 30th Istanbul Film Festival's Golden Tulip Awards have found their owners at the closure gala and the awards ceremony which took place at Lütfi Kýrdar Convention and Exhibition Centre, on Saturday evening, April 16th.
The closure gala and the awards ceremony were presented by Memet Ali Alabora.
This year, "the Golden Tulip International Competition Award" presented in memory of Þakir Eczacýbaþý was given to the Egyptian director Ahmad Abdalla's Microphone. The winner of the award was announced by Claire Denis, the Jury President of the Golden Tulip International Competition, and the award itself was also presented by Denis. The 25,000 Euro monetary award, given by the Eczacýbaþý Group was presented by Ilkay Yildirim, the Director of Eczacýbaþý Holding Corporate Communications and the General Secretary of Dr. Nejat F. Eczacýbaþý Foundation.
Sedat Yýlmaz's film Press was deemed to deserve the "Special Jury Prize" of the National Competition. The director was handed his award by the Golden Tulip National Competition Jury Member, writer and film critic Fatih Özgüven. This year for the first time, the Special Jury Prize is supported by a monetary award of 30,000 TL.
Director Sedat Yýlmaz has stated, I am not Kurdish, but, I wanted to tell this story out of solidarity with the Kurdish people and with Gündem newspaper. Gündem is a very important newspaper in the press tradition of Turkey. Maybe the real meaning of its importance will be understood even later.
It is the early 1990s, and a handful of journalists are trying to attract the world’s attention to the ongoing human rights abuses in Diyarbakýr. Eighteenyear- old Nazým opens up and cleans the newspaper office everyday, and helps with distribution. While researching the disappearance of five villagers, journalist Hafýz discovers the traces of a paramilitary gang. In addition to struggling with usual technical difficulties of a small operation, the newspaper is subjected to various attempts to intimidate them and prevent their courageous reports from coming to light.
Following increased threats and attacks, Nazým volunteers to guard the office at night, and by day he tries to learn the trade. When the newspaper’s distribution to Diyarbakýr is blocked, the team has to come up with new ways to reach their readership.
The Festival's "Turkish Cinema" theme sponsor Efes, gave a monetary award of $30,000 to the director of Press,Sedat Yýlmaz, to be used toward his next film. Efes Turkey Public Relations Manager Durul Candemir presented the special award to the director.
In the International Competition, the "Special Jury Prize" was given ex aequo to Seyfi Teoman's Bizim Büyük Çaresizliðimiz / Our Grand Despair, and Federico Veiroj's A Useful Life. The awards were handed to the directors by the Golden Tulip International Competition Jury Members, Italian actress Anna Bonaiuto, and Jim Stark.
"The Golden Tulip Best Turkish Film of the Year" award is given to Tayfun Pirselimoðlu's film Saç / Hair. The award was presented to the director by the Golden Tulip National Competition Jury President, scriptwriter and director Reha Erdem.
"The Golden Tulip Best Director of the Year" award was also given to the director of Saç / Hair, Tayfun Pirselimoðlu. The award was handed to the director by the Jury President Reha Erdem.
The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism gives 150,000 TL to the Golden Tulip winner of the Best Turkish Film, and 50,000 TL to the winner Best Director Award.
"The Best Actress" award was given to Nazan Kesal with her performance at Saç / Hair. Her award was presented to the actress by Tansu Biçer, who received "The Best Actor" award last year with the film Five Cities.
This year "The Best Actor" award, was received by Ahmet Mekin with his performance in Görünmeyen / Unseen.The actor received his award from the Golden Tulip National Competition Jury Member and actress Tülin Özen.Award-winning actor and actresses receive 10,000 TL each from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
In this year's National Competition, Belma Baþ with her film Zefir / Zephyr was deemed to deserve "The Best Screenplay of The Year Award." Belma Baþ took her award from the Golden Tulip International Competition Jury Member, writer Perihan Maðden.
"The Best Director of Photography" award in the Istanbul Film Festival's National Competition was given to Birgit Gudjonsdottir with her film Bizim Büyük Çaresizliðimiz / Our Grand Despair by Golden Tulip National Competition Jury Member and Variety critic Jay Weissberg.
In the Golden Tulip National Competition "The Best Music Award" was given to Ahmet Kenan Bilgiç with the film Atlýkarýnca / Merry-Go-Round by the Golden Tulip National Competition Jury Member, Karlovy Vary Film Festival Artistic Director Karel Och.
The International Federation of Film Critics FIPRESCI Awards were given to Tran Anh Hung's film Noruwei No Mori / Norwegian Wood in the International Competition, and to Sedat Yýlmaz with his film Press in the National Competition. The awards were handed to the directors by FIPRESCI Jury President and the Singaporean critic Philip Cheah and Nil Kural.
The Film Award of the Council of Europe FACE, presented in scope of "Human Rights in Cinema" competition, was deemed to be deserved by the film As If I'm Not There by Juanita Wilson. After the speech delivered by Ambassador Daryal Batýbay Permanent Representative for Turkey at the Council of Europe, the FACE award statuette and the 10,000 Euro monetary award, given in cooperation with the Council of Europe and Euroimages, were presented The director of the film recieved her award from Scandar Copti, the president of FACE Jury, and the recipient of last year's FACE Award with his film Ajami.
In the scope of "Human Rights in Cinema" competition, the Special Jury Prize was deemed to be deserved by the film titled Press. Scandar Copti and director of co-operation in the Directorate General of Human Rights and Legal Affairs of the Council of Europe, Marja Ruotanenpresented the award to the director of the Press, Sedat Yýlmaz.
The People's Choice Award, given by the Radikal Newspaper, is presented both in the scope of the national and the international competitions, and determined by the votes of the audience. The Radikal Newspaper General Publishing Director Eyüp Can Saðlýk announced the winners of the People's Choice Award. In the International Competition Seyfi Teoman's Bizim Büyük Çaresizliðimiz / Our Grand Despair, and in the National Competition Ýlksen Baþarýr's film Atlýkarýnca / Merry-Go-Round won the awards. A drawing between the voters of Radikal People's Chocie Award will determine two lucky festival followers who will travel to the Rome Film Festival as guests of Radikal Newspaper.
After the 30th Istanbul Film Festival Awards Ceremony was completed the guests watched Susanne Bier's Oscar-winning drama In A Better World.
The 30th Istanbul Film Festival events continued with an after party organised at Pera Palace hosted by Efes Turkey. The festival's national and international guests, the actors and directors of the films that competed for the Golden Tulip, film professionals as well as the distinguished figures of film circles attended the party.
On Saturday April 17, the winner of the Golden Tulip in the National Competition Saç / Hair will be screened once more at Fitaþ 1 Movie Theatre, at 13.30 pm, and Microphone which won the Golden Tulip Award in the International Competition will be screened at 16.00 in the same hall.
The 30th Istanbul Film Festival will end on Sunday evening after the 21.30 screenings at seven festival movie theatres.
The closure gala and the awards ceremony were presented by Memet Ali Alabora.
This year, "the Golden Tulip International Competition Award" presented in memory of Þakir Eczacýbaþý was given to the Egyptian director Ahmad Abdalla's Microphone. The winner of the award was announced by Claire Denis, the Jury President of the Golden Tulip International Competition, and the award itself was also presented by Denis. The 25,000 Euro monetary award, given by the Eczacýbaþý Group was presented by Ilkay Yildirim, the Director of Eczacýbaþý Holding Corporate Communications and the General Secretary of Dr. Nejat F. Eczacýbaþý Foundation.
Sedat Yýlmaz's film Press was deemed to deserve the "Special Jury Prize" of the National Competition. The director was handed his award by the Golden Tulip National Competition Jury Member, writer and film critic Fatih Özgüven. This year for the first time, the Special Jury Prize is supported by a monetary award of 30,000 TL.
Director Sedat Yýlmaz has stated, I am not Kurdish, but, I wanted to tell this story out of solidarity with the Kurdish people and with Gündem newspaper. Gündem is a very important newspaper in the press tradition of Turkey. Maybe the real meaning of its importance will be understood even later.
It is the early 1990s, and a handful of journalists are trying to attract the world’s attention to the ongoing human rights abuses in Diyarbakýr. Eighteenyear- old Nazým opens up and cleans the newspaper office everyday, and helps with distribution. While researching the disappearance of five villagers, journalist Hafýz discovers the traces of a paramilitary gang. In addition to struggling with usual technical difficulties of a small operation, the newspaper is subjected to various attempts to intimidate them and prevent their courageous reports from coming to light.
Following increased threats and attacks, Nazým volunteers to guard the office at night, and by day he tries to learn the trade. When the newspaper’s distribution to Diyarbakýr is blocked, the team has to come up with new ways to reach their readership.
The Festival's "Turkish Cinema" theme sponsor Efes, gave a monetary award of $30,000 to the director of Press,Sedat Yýlmaz, to be used toward his next film. Efes Turkey Public Relations Manager Durul Candemir presented the special award to the director.
In the International Competition, the "Special Jury Prize" was given ex aequo to Seyfi Teoman's Bizim Büyük Çaresizliðimiz / Our Grand Despair, and Federico Veiroj's A Useful Life. The awards were handed to the directors by the Golden Tulip International Competition Jury Members, Italian actress Anna Bonaiuto, and Jim Stark.
"The Golden Tulip Best Turkish Film of the Year" award is given to Tayfun Pirselimoðlu's film Saç / Hair. The award was presented to the director by the Golden Tulip National Competition Jury President, scriptwriter and director Reha Erdem.
"The Golden Tulip Best Director of the Year" award was also given to the director of Saç / Hair, Tayfun Pirselimoðlu. The award was handed to the director by the Jury President Reha Erdem.
The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism gives 150,000 TL to the Golden Tulip winner of the Best Turkish Film, and 50,000 TL to the winner Best Director Award.
"The Best Actress" award was given to Nazan Kesal with her performance at Saç / Hair. Her award was presented to the actress by Tansu Biçer, who received "The Best Actor" award last year with the film Five Cities.
This year "The Best Actor" award, was received by Ahmet Mekin with his performance in Görünmeyen / Unseen.The actor received his award from the Golden Tulip National Competition Jury Member and actress Tülin Özen.Award-winning actor and actresses receive 10,000 TL each from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
In this year's National Competition, Belma Baþ with her film Zefir / Zephyr was deemed to deserve "The Best Screenplay of The Year Award." Belma Baþ took her award from the Golden Tulip International Competition Jury Member, writer Perihan Maðden.
"The Best Director of Photography" award in the Istanbul Film Festival's National Competition was given to Birgit Gudjonsdottir with her film Bizim Büyük Çaresizliðimiz / Our Grand Despair by Golden Tulip National Competition Jury Member and Variety critic Jay Weissberg.
In the Golden Tulip National Competition "The Best Music Award" was given to Ahmet Kenan Bilgiç with the film Atlýkarýnca / Merry-Go-Round by the Golden Tulip National Competition Jury Member, Karlovy Vary Film Festival Artistic Director Karel Och.
The International Federation of Film Critics FIPRESCI Awards were given to Tran Anh Hung's film Noruwei No Mori / Norwegian Wood in the International Competition, and to Sedat Yýlmaz with his film Press in the National Competition. The awards were handed to the directors by FIPRESCI Jury President and the Singaporean critic Philip Cheah and Nil Kural.
The Film Award of the Council of Europe FACE, presented in scope of "Human Rights in Cinema" competition, was deemed to be deserved by the film As If I'm Not There by Juanita Wilson. After the speech delivered by Ambassador Daryal Batýbay Permanent Representative for Turkey at the Council of Europe, the FACE award statuette and the 10,000 Euro monetary award, given in cooperation with the Council of Europe and Euroimages, were presented The director of the film recieved her award from Scandar Copti, the president of FACE Jury, and the recipient of last year's FACE Award with his film Ajami.
In the scope of "Human Rights in Cinema" competition, the Special Jury Prize was deemed to be deserved by the film titled Press. Scandar Copti and director of co-operation in the Directorate General of Human Rights and Legal Affairs of the Council of Europe, Marja Ruotanenpresented the award to the director of the Press, Sedat Yýlmaz.
The People's Choice Award, given by the Radikal Newspaper, is presented both in the scope of the national and the international competitions, and determined by the votes of the audience. The Radikal Newspaper General Publishing Director Eyüp Can Saðlýk announced the winners of the People's Choice Award. In the International Competition Seyfi Teoman's Bizim Büyük Çaresizliðimiz / Our Grand Despair, and in the National Competition Ýlksen Baþarýr's film Atlýkarýnca / Merry-Go-Round won the awards. A drawing between the voters of Radikal People's Chocie Award will determine two lucky festival followers who will travel to the Rome Film Festival as guests of Radikal Newspaper.
After the 30th Istanbul Film Festival Awards Ceremony was completed the guests watched Susanne Bier's Oscar-winning drama In A Better World.
The 30th Istanbul Film Festival events continued with an after party organised at Pera Palace hosted by Efes Turkey. The festival's national and international guests, the actors and directors of the films that competed for the Golden Tulip, film professionals as well as the distinguished figures of film circles attended the party.
On Saturday April 17, the winner of the Golden Tulip in the National Competition Saç / Hair will be screened once more at Fitaþ 1 Movie Theatre, at 13.30 pm, and Microphone which won the Golden Tulip Award in the International Competition will be screened at 16.00 in the same hall.
The 30th Istanbul Film Festival will end on Sunday evening after the 21.30 screenings at seven festival movie theatres.
