Starting in the 1970’s, Turkish cinema went through an unprecedented boom, attracting the attention of cinema and what at first seemed like a passing thing has endured to this day. Even with limited budgets, Turkey is known for its high artistic film quality. Turkish films have been known for having directors with an extensive background in the industry and for having a narrative voice that is able to stand above socio-political changes that exist in the country today. For this and many more reasons, GIFF has named Turkey its Guest Country of Honor, bringing the best of its cinema to San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato City.
As part of this invitation, the Festival hopes to create a dialogue with representatives of Turkish cinema with the objective of widening commercial as well as cultural relationships between both nations. This is why GIFF invites not only renowned filmmakers from the country; it has organized events with the purpose of honoring and, above all, learning about this beautiful country that is Turkey.
Bilateral Forum
GIFF and IMCINE have opened up for the last eight years this space during the activities of the Festival with the purpose of establishing a dialogue and encouraging cooperation and encounters within the international film community. This year, the three panels that will present on July 23rd at the Cervantes Theater will focus on creating agreements and projects that launch collaboration between Mexico and Turkey. Along with the events of Series Lab, the Festival incentivizes high quality film and television production.
Within these discussion panels we will find important representatives from institutions dedicated to training directors, producers, screenwriters and digital format producers. The hope is that both the Mexican and Turkish film industries can come up with viable solutions so their films can fully develop and reach a privileged position within world cinema.
Turkey Tribute Gala
As part of GIFF’s tribute to Turkish cinema, GIFF will offer a Red Carpet on July 23rd to present the film Sivas. Its director, Kaan Müjdeci, studied directing at the Konrad Wolf Film School in Germany. In 2008 he directed Free Entrance and in 2009 he was first assistant director to Ezel Akay in the film Seven Husbands for Hürmüz.
The film tells the story of Aslan, an eleven-year-old boy who lives in the steppes of Anatolia with an irresponsible father, an absent mother and a hopeless brother. After losing the lead in a school production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Aslan finds an abandoned dog named Sivas and forges a friendship where Sivas will play an important role in Aslan winning over the girl of his dreams. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, Sivas is a film that mixes elements from the tale of Snow White with the Aslan and Sivas’ austere and cruel reality. Besides the gala, don’t miss the rest of our screenings on Turkey and their cinema where we will show classic films, short films and documentaries among others.
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