24.03.2010

EFP launches programme with European and Turkish films

BRIDGES EUROPE – TURKEY at the Istanbul International Film Festival (April 3-18, 2010)

>> Türkçe

With BRIDGES EUROPE – TURKEY, European Film Promotion (EFP) will be launching a new programme at the 29th edition of the Istanbul International Film Festival. Between April 12-14, the festival, in close cooperation with EFP, will highlight and present 10 current European and 12 Turkish productions of up-and-coming directors.

Apart from the aim of raising public awareness for the selected films in this year’s European Capital of Culture, the idea is to facilitate and improve the films' distribution beyond their borders. Key European distributors will be invited to Istanbul to see the newest in Turkish fare; at the same time, the Turkish industry will have the chance to watch new and exciting European cinema with festival audiences. In addition, special industry screenings will take place in the presence of the invited professionals. BRIDGES EUROPE – TURKEY is financially supported by the MEDIA International programme of the European Union, the participating EFP member organisations and the Istanbul European Capital of Culture programme.

The directors and sales agents of the selected films are invited to attend the festival for an intercultural dialogue and to discuss possibilities of fostering the circulation of European and Turkish films in the diverse markets. BRIDGES EUROPE – TURKEY offers various platforms for networking, discussions and business meetings. A part of the programme will be a European Reception and a workshop with the participation of Europe’s leading casting directors aiming to strengthen the collaboration between Turkish and European actors and directors.

“We are very pleased to see BRIDGES EUROPE – TURKEY, here in Istanbul”, says festival director Azize Tan. “This programme is strengthening the professional relationship between Turkey and Europe and initiates a dialogue between filmmakers and sales from here and there. And, in the end, hopefully quite a few films from Europe will find their way to theatrical release in Turkey, and our national films will bring the issues of our country to the people in Europe. In this way, the films and their makers support the cultural exchange.”

10 European films have been selected for BRIDGES EUROPE – TURKEY, among others, the acclaimed Nothing Personal by Urszula Antoniak, starring this year’s SHOOTING STAR from The Netherlands, Lotte Verbeek. Nothing Personal is a coproduction between Macdara Kelleher of Fastnet Films (Ireland) and Reinier Selen of Rinkel Film & TV Productions (The Netherlands) realized after they participated in EFP's programme PRODUCERS ON THE MOVE 2008 in Cannes.

Also selected for BRIDGES EUROPE – TURKEY, has been the European coproduction (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Germany, Croatia) On the Path (Na Putu) by Jasmila Žbanić, which has been screened in this year's Berlinale Competition. The film sees Zrinka Cvitešić, Croatian SHOOTING STAR 2010, as main cast.

The 12 selected Turkish films include Bornova Bornova, winner of the Best Screenplay Award at the SIYAD (Turkish Cinema Critics Association) Awards in 2010. Winning several awards with Made in Europe in 2008, director İnan Temelkuran’s second feature film Bornova Bornova is set in the director’s hometown İzmir, and is about unemployment and its effects. The latest film Taylan Brothers have directed, Vavien, is a noir comedy that delicately tells the story of a small town family.

In 2010, the Istanbul International Film Festival screens 170 international films, with 111 originating from Europe. The festival seeks primarily to encourage the development of cinema in Turkey and to promote films of quality in the Turkish market. Selected international films compete for the Golden Tulip Award.

European Films selected for the Programme	Turkish Films selected for the Programme
All That I Love (Wszystko, co kocham) by Jacek Borcuch (Poland) Wide Management	A Step into the Darkness (Büyük Oyun) by Atıl İnaç (Turkey) TFT Yapım
The Calling by Jan Dunn (United Kingdom) Arrow Entertainment Inc.	Angels and Gamblers (Melekler ve Kumarbazla) by Ertekin Akpınar (Turkey) Hayalet Yapım
Camping (Camping) by Jacob Bitsch (Denmark) Nimbus Film	Bornova Bornova by İnan Temelkuran (Turkey) Temelkuran Film ve Müzik
Colony by Carter Gunn, Ross McDonnell (Irel.) E1 Entertainment	Dark Cloud (Bahti Kara) by Theron Patterson (Turkey) Bulut Film
Dogtooth (Kynodontas) by Giorgos Lanthimos (Greece) MK2	Five Cities (Bes Şehir) by Onur Ünlü (Turkey) Eflatun Film
Muezzin by Sebastian Brameshuber (Austria) Cinephil	Love in Another Language (Başka Dilde Aşk) by İlksen Başarır (Turkey) Ofisistanbul by Ppristanbul
Nothing Personal (Rien de personnel) by Matthias Gökalp (France) MK2	Love, Bitter (Aci Aşk) by A. Taner Elhan (Turkey) Tim’s Productions
Nothing Personal by Urszula Antoniak (The Netherlands / Ireland) Bavaria Film International	Me and Roz (Benim ve Roz'un Sonbahari) by Handan Öztürk (Turkey) Gala Ajans
On the Path (Na Putu) by Jasmila Žbanić (Bosnia and Herzegovina /Croatia/Austria/Germany) The Match Factory	Not Worth a Fig (İncir Çekirdeği) by Selda Çiçek (Turkey) Çiçek Film
The World is Big and Salvation Lurks around the Corner (Svetat e golyam i spasenie debne otvsyakade)	Other Angels (Teslimiyet) by Emre Yalgın (Turkey) Logos Film
by Stephan Komandarev (Bulgaria / Germany / Hungary / Slovenia) m-appeal	There (Orada) by Hakkı Kurtuluş, Melik Saraçoğlu (Turkey) İki Film
	Vavien by Yağmur Taylan, Durul Taylan (Turkey) İmaj Entertainment

Participating EFP member organisations: Austrian Film Commission, British Council, Croatian Audiovisual Centre, Danish Film Institute, Greek Film Centre, Holland Film, Irish Film Board, National Film Centre Bulgaria, Polish Film Institute, Unifrance.

Contact EFP:
Jo Mühlberger Project director +49 40- 390 6252 muehlberger@efp-online.com	Mareen Gerisch Head of Press +49 40- 390 6252 gerisch@efp-online.com
Contact Istanbul International Film Festival:
Ustungel Inanc Foreign Press Coordinator +90 212- 3340 710 ustungel.inanc@iksv.org

BRIDGES EUROPE – TURKEY is supported by the MEDIA International Programme of the European Union and the participating EFP member organisations. The event moreover is supported by the Istanbul International Film Festival and the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts and Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture. In addition, promotion and PR activities are backed by the Centre National de la Cinématographie et de l'image animée (CNC). The Hamburg-based office is supported by the German Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) and the Department for Culture, Sports and Media of the City of Hamburg.

With the support of the MEDIA International Programme of the European Union
EFP is supported by	Partner