Cinema people ask to stop the war
Cinema people ask to stop the war
The protests and activities of the concerned groups and people against the war are growing more intense in the wake of the news of rising conflicts and deaths and the danger of the deepening separation within the communities. Recently, number of successful film directors, who belong to the new cinema movement, published an open letter and asked for dialog and negotiations instead of guns and conflicts.
In the open letter, it was written that the democratic opening has brought new hopes to the whole society but nothing was done for the solution of the Kurdish problem.
The directors, actors and actresses, Huseyin Karabey, Inan Temelkuran, Pelin Esmer, Ozcan Alper, Asli Filiz, Belma Bas, Belmin Soylemez, Dervis Zaim, Emre Yeksan, Hasmet Topaloglu, Mahmut Fazil Coskun, Mehmet ERyilmaz, Murat Duzgunoglu, Nadir Operli, Nida Karabol, Orhan Eskikoy, Ozgur Dogan, Selim Evci, Serkan Acar, Serkan Cakarer, Sevilay Demirci, Seyfi Teoman, Seyhan Kaya, Tarik Tufan, Tolga Esmer, and Yamac Okur signed the letter.
In the letter they said; We were very excited and hopeful when we heard the news of the democratic opening which aimed to bring definite solution and peace to the Kurdish problem. But before the first anniversary of the democratic opening has come to halt curtly and closed down by the starting of the gun fights. The language of violence took its place in politics once again and it really worry us for the future of the country.
In 20 March 2010, The Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with a group of artists of the cinema and the stage. In the meeting he said; “If there is a problem, we have to face it with courage. Otherwise, the problem gets bigger and small wound becomes gangrene and affects the whole body”.
Unfortunately, within the four months after that speech, facing the problem realistically has not started yet. Instead of talking honestly and bravely, both sides measured the nationalistic feelings. The positive proposals for the solution was silenced by the heavy opposition. Today, we watch it with horror that the politicians calculate their gains by the rising number of dead people of this country. We, as directors and actors and actresses, want to ask Tayyip Erdogan to remember what he said in the meeting which is; “ I want to express it honestly that if the authorities of this country listened to the messages of the films by YILMAZ GUNEY, Believe me, Turkey could be different now. We have an heartache. We want to cure this heartache. That is why we have started the democratic openings. We care to find solutions to the problems of, the poverty, the exclusion and the dramas which were shown in the films “HEAVY NOVEL” by Mustafa Altioklar, “INTERNATIONAL” by Sureyya Onder. We have to get together and work for peaceful solutions for the conflicts and problems expressed in the films, like “VIZONTELE, THE JOURNEY TO THE SUN, INNOCENCE, I HAVE SEEN THE SUN, DON’T LET THE LIGHTS OFF and TWO LANGUAGES AND ONE SUITCASE. We wanted the same thing as great director “Dervis Zaim” told in his film that “while elephants scuffle, do not let the grass ruined”
The film “two languages and one suitcase” which was mentioned by the prime minister, shows us that Kurdish problems effects even the future of the children. If the politicians listen to the filmmakers and the messages of the films which indicate the problems of discrimination in Turkey and all over he world, many problems could be solved. By doing so, they will realise that Kurds are not just on the mountains but also in the cities as well. When their identity is recognized they will live in peace and harmony with other people on this land.
In our films we approach the problems of our country with sensitivity. We would like the politicians have the same approach as well. For this reason, we do not want the governors of the country to use the Kurdish problem as a matter of gaining votes. The solution of the Kurdish problem brings down the unemployment and poverty and gives us a chance to invest in the most urgent and important fields as education, health and culture.
In the last 35 years of conflicts, every one of the people who lost their lives are the citizens of this country. With this consciousness, we want the guns to stop unconditionally and forever. Kurdish problems are not just government’s issue. It is also the issue of the opposition parties, civil society organizations, democratic organizations, as a whole, this is the problem of the rest of the society.
We, as filmmakers, declare that we will do everything as our responsibility and use our rights as citizens of this country to stop this war and bring peace to the country. We also ask everybody to act immediately.
We say that; LET the guns stop, let people talk.
In the open letter, it was written that the democratic opening has brought new hopes to the whole society but nothing was done for the solution of the Kurdish problem.
The directors, actors and actresses, Huseyin Karabey, Inan Temelkuran, Pelin Esmer, Ozcan Alper, Asli Filiz, Belma Bas, Belmin Soylemez, Dervis Zaim, Emre Yeksan, Hasmet Topaloglu, Mahmut Fazil Coskun, Mehmet ERyilmaz, Murat Duzgunoglu, Nadir Operli, Nida Karabol, Orhan Eskikoy, Ozgur Dogan, Selim Evci, Serkan Acar, Serkan Cakarer, Sevilay Demirci, Seyfi Teoman, Seyhan Kaya, Tarik Tufan, Tolga Esmer, and Yamac Okur signed the letter.
In the letter they said; We were very excited and hopeful when we heard the news of the democratic opening which aimed to bring definite solution and peace to the Kurdish problem. But before the first anniversary of the democratic opening has come to halt curtly and closed down by the starting of the gun fights. The language of violence took its place in politics once again and it really worry us for the future of the country.
In 20 March 2010, The Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with a group of artists of the cinema and the stage. In the meeting he said; “If there is a problem, we have to face it with courage. Otherwise, the problem gets bigger and small wound becomes gangrene and affects the whole body”.
Unfortunately, within the four months after that speech, facing the problem realistically has not started yet. Instead of talking honestly and bravely, both sides measured the nationalistic feelings. The positive proposals for the solution was silenced by the heavy opposition. Today, we watch it with horror that the politicians calculate their gains by the rising number of dead people of this country. We, as directors and actors and actresses, want to ask Tayyip Erdogan to remember what he said in the meeting which is; “ I want to express it honestly that if the authorities of this country listened to the messages of the films by YILMAZ GUNEY, Believe me, Turkey could be different now. We have an heartache. We want to cure this heartache. That is why we have started the democratic openings. We care to find solutions to the problems of, the poverty, the exclusion and the dramas which were shown in the films “HEAVY NOVEL” by Mustafa Altioklar, “INTERNATIONAL” by Sureyya Onder. We have to get together and work for peaceful solutions for the conflicts and problems expressed in the films, like “VIZONTELE, THE JOURNEY TO THE SUN, INNOCENCE, I HAVE SEEN THE SUN, DON’T LET THE LIGHTS OFF and TWO LANGUAGES AND ONE SUITCASE. We wanted the same thing as great director “Dervis Zaim” told in his film that “while elephants scuffle, do not let the grass ruined”
The film “two languages and one suitcase” which was mentioned by the prime minister, shows us that Kurdish problems effects even the future of the children. If the politicians listen to the filmmakers and the messages of the films which indicate the problems of discrimination in Turkey and all over he world, many problems could be solved. By doing so, they will realise that Kurds are not just on the mountains but also in the cities as well. When their identity is recognized they will live in peace and harmony with other people on this land.
In our films we approach the problems of our country with sensitivity. We would like the politicians have the same approach as well. For this reason, we do not want the governors of the country to use the Kurdish problem as a matter of gaining votes. The solution of the Kurdish problem brings down the unemployment and poverty and gives us a chance to invest in the most urgent and important fields as education, health and culture.
In the last 35 years of conflicts, every one of the people who lost their lives are the citizens of this country. With this consciousness, we want the guns to stop unconditionally and forever. Kurdish problems are not just government’s issue. It is also the issue of the opposition parties, civil society organizations, democratic organizations, as a whole, this is the problem of the rest of the society.
We, as filmmakers, declare that we will do everything as our responsibility and use our rights as citizens of this country to stop this war and bring peace to the country. We also ask everybody to act immediately.
We say that; LET the guns stop, let people talk.
