Hosting the cinephiles this year with the slogan #AgainstAllOdds, 8^th Bosphorus Film Festival has kicked off with the opening film “Sun Children”. First day of the festival also hosted the talk with the film crew following the screening of “Nasipse Adayız / You Know Him.”

To bring to the cinephiles long awaited films of the year till October 30, 8^th Bosphorus Film Festival kicked off yesterday with film screenings. Opening film of the festival being Majid Majidi's Sun Children that world premiered at the Main Competition of 77^th Venice Film Festival and brought Marcello Mastroianni Best Young Actor Award to Rouhollah Zamani, as well as Ercan Kesal’s debut feature “Nasipse Adayız / You Know Him” were screened in Beyoglu movie theatre with the attendance of film crew. At the first day of the festival, cinephiles showed great interest in the screenings.

Prior to the screening of the opening film, Emrah Kilic; Artistic Director of Bosphorus Film Festival made a speech in Beyoglu movie theatre and noted that they made the opening with Iranian director Majid Majidi’s latest film “Sun Children” simultaneously with Kadikoy movie theatre. Specifying that they had hosted Majid Majidi at the fifth edition of the festival with his film “Beyond the Clouds”; Kilic said, “We have chosen a good film of one of our favorite directors as the opening film. I hope you enjoy the film and the festival.”

Screening of “Nasipse Adayız / You Know Him”, a national feature competition title was realized at 18.00 in Beyoglu movie theatre with a high attendance. After the screening of the film which was adapted from Ercan Kesal’s novel with the identical name and that focuses on a tragicomic day of Dr. Kemal Guner, a wannabe mayor nominee, Suzan Guverte; producer of the film and Muttalip Mujdeci, one of the main actors appeared before the audiences. Burak Goral moderated the Q&A session.

“Film was Shot in Real Locations”

Meeting with the audiences after the screening, Suzan Guverte, producer of the film started her speech by mentioning how she was approached and also talked about the initial preparation process. Specifying that design was the first step for the production of this film, which is far from having an easy visual language, Guverte mentioned that they preferred real locations to maintain authenticity and continued as follows: “All the locations are where Mr. Kesal experienced his story. I mean, everything is real just like his own story. He had really experienced these events in a wedding hall.”

To the question “Scriptwriter being also the main actor; does it facilitate or complicate the producer process”, Suzan Guverte answered that Ercan Kesal being the creative has facilitated in certain respects the production process, however the weight on his shoulders has also complicated things.

Mentioning that the DoP of the film is Barbu Balasoiu, Guverte pointed out that Ercan Kesal had met with the DoP months in advance and the two decided to work together after realizing that their opinions match and Kesal’s admiration of Romanian cinema is the reason for having a Romanian cinematographer.

 “With this Film, I Became the Character Nuri Himself who has been Working for Radio Okmeydani for years”

Muttalip Mujdeci; one of the main actors of the film also answered the questions. Stating that initially he was cast as the landlord, Mujdeci said that he had read the book Nasipse Adayiz in a short period of time after being handed to him as a gift by Ercan Kesal who afterwards came to him and said “You should be the radioman Nuri”. Specifying that acting amicably, Kesal helped him a lot, Mujdeci said “With this film, I became the character Nuri himself who has been working for Radio Okmeydani for years”.

Following the audience comment that the film and the characters feel extremely natural, Muttalip Mujdeci revealed that director Ercan Kesal told all the actors to play themselves whenever possible. Stating that “Ercan Kesal told me to be my own self whenever I read the script”, Mujdeci also emphasized that all the actors playing with Number One are Kesal’s real friends from those years.

October 24, Saturday at the Festival

Second day of 8^th Bosphorus Film Festival will have the screenings of the films within National Feature Film Competition, International Feature Film Competition and Galas sections. In Beyoglu movie theatre, Koku / Fragrance will be screened at 13.00, Kumbara / Penny Bank at 15.30 and Flaşbellek at 18.00 with the participation of film crews. At 21.00, There Is No Evil, a Galas title will be screened. And at Kadikoy movie theatre, cinephiles will be watching The Island Within at 13.00, Wildland at 15.30, The Courier at 18.00 and Sister at 21.00.

Screening info and trailers are accessible at the festival’s social media accounts and detailed information are accessible at the festival catalogue present at www.bogazicifilmfestivali.com.

Bosphorus Film Lab Events Start on October 24, Saturday

Industry section of the festival, Bosphorus Film Lab events will bring current and noteworthy topics to the participants accompanied with the film professionals.

First event of the day October 24, Saturday will be held at the festival’s Instagram account. Actor Metin Akdulger as the guest of the live video to be realized from 15.00-16.00 will be answering Bosphorus Film Lab director Ipek Tugay’s questions.

Another Bosphorus Film Lab event to be held from 17.00-18.00 will be the panel talk From the Production to Distribution under the moderation of producer Muge Ozen, and with the participation of Ersan Congar; General Manager of Bir Film and Baska Sinema, Faruk Guven; TRT Co-productions and Foreign Productions Manager and Orhan Tasdemir; TME Film Finance and Distribution Director and it will be organized on Zoom.

Participants can access Bosphorus Film Lab events and detailed information on the projects at the catalogue present at the tab Bosphorus Film Lab at www.bogazicifilmfestivali.com.

Tickets Available at Mobilet!

Physical screenings to take place in Beyoglu and Kadikoy movie theatres, 8^th Bosphorus Film Festival will provide an enriched programme with 60 films from 30 countries. Festival tickets are identified as 10 TL for daytime (13.00 and 15.30) and 15 TL for evening (18.00 and 21.00) screenings. And the tickets for the competition short film screenings will be available for 5 TL!

Festival tickets are available at mobilet.com.