The 36th Ankara International Film Festival began with an opening ceremony at the State Theatres’ Şinasi Stage, where this year’s Honorary Awards were presented. Organized by the World Mass Media Research Foundation with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the festival welcomed guests with a moment of silence for the 20 soldiers who lost their lives in a military cargo plane crash.
M. FERHAT YÜKSEL
The ceremony, hosted by Gülay Afşar, also commemorated two figures central to the festival’s history: İnci Demirkol, who chaired the festival for 22 years and passed away last year, and caricaturist Nezih Danyal, who designed the festival’s first poster.
A Defiant Commitment to Revolutionary Theatre
This year’s “Aziz Nesin Labor Award” went to actress and theatre artist Zuhal Olcay, who joined the ceremony with a video message due to her ongoing theatre performance. The “Lifetime Achievement Award” was presented to renowned actor Rutkay Aziz, who received the honor from Festival Director İrfan Demirkol.
In his speech, Aziz reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to revolutionary theatre. When asked whether he feels happy, he answered “no,” and continued:
“In a country struggling with unhappiness, injustice and lawlessness, how can I be happy alone? Many of my friends, colleagues and loved ones are confined in cells. There is no reason to feel joy on one’s own. But I am hopeful. Do you know why? As one of our masters said, ‘without women, there can be no true mass movement.’ Our women, our youth, our people raise their voices and say ‘we are here’ in the struggle for democracy and peace. That gives me hope. People will eventually die, but hope will not. Yes, we will see the sunny days and steer our engines into the blue.”
Foundation Honorary Awards
The Foundation Honorary Awards were presented to actress Demet Evgar and director Selman Nacar. Evgar sent a video message from her shooting set, while Nacar received his award from actress Fadik Sevin Atasoy.
The Mass Communication Award went to Sinematek/Cinema House, one of Türkiye’s most influential film culture institutions. The festival also presented a plaque of appreciation to communication designer Atay Erol for this year’s festival poster and promotional film.
“Every Great Film Begins with an Act of Courage”
Speaking at the ceremony, Birol Güven, Director General of Cinema at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, emphasized that sustaining a festival for 36 years and turning it into a strong cultural brand is a remarkable achievement.
Jean Barbe, Head of the Green Development and Inclusive Growth Section at the EU Delegation to Türkiye, also addressed the audience. He said: “Every great film begins with a simple act of courage — the courage to imagine, to envision another world, and to share that vision with others. In times ruled by uncertainty, cinema reminds us that creativity is freedom, and every story keeps that freedom alive.”
A Selection of 55 Films from 17 Countries
Running until 21 November, the 36th Ankara Film Festival offers a rich program composed of master directors’ latest works, inventive films by emerging talents, classics of world cinema, and award-winning productions from international festivals.
As in previous years, the program includes competitions in National Feature Film, Documentary, and National Short Film categories. In total, 55 films by 59 directors from 17 countries will be screened.
Panels, talks and director sessions will accompany the screenings throughout the festival, which will take place at Kızılay Büyülü Fener Cinema.
