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The Istanbul Film Festival, Türkiye's first and oldest international film festival, is organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV) and held in Istanbul every April.
Established in 1982, it offers domestic and foreign contests, along with prizes like the Golden Tulip for the best movies. In addition to special programming and industry events, the festival features a broad variety of cinema, including feature films, documentaries, restored classics, and short films.
It seeks to advance high-caliber cinema in Türkiye and increase Turkish films' visibility abroad.
The 44th edition took place from April 11 to April 22 and featured 139 feature films and 15 short films, including global cinema highlights and Turkish premieres.
Films showcased at film festivals, especially award winners, are often premiere at cinemas. These films are almost always worth watching and this article highlights five films to look out for.
"Lesson learned" is a Hungarian film written and directed by Balint Szimler. The film revolves around a younger teacher named Juci who attempts to challenge the outdated methods of her school while a new student Palko struggles to adapt to the demanding educational system.
The film won the Golden Tulip Prize at the 44th Istanbul Film Festival.
The debut film of director Necmi Sancak tells the story of Ayse, who lives with her adult brother Ridvan, who has Down syndrome, in a constantly changing suburb of Istanbul.
Their father has been on the verge of death in the hospital for a long time. When Ayse receives a marriage proposal from an international truck driver, who stops by the petrol station where she works, she has to choose between her fate and her dream.
The film won the Seyfi Teoman Best Debut Film Award at the 44th Istanbul Film Festival.
This Turkish film, directed by Dogus Alan, follows the story of middle-aged Nimet. After a tragic miscarriage, Nimet finds herself stuck in a conservative neighborhood in Istanbul. Meanwhile, her beloved younger sister, Oznur, carries her own heavy burden, struggling with personal demons.
This film was awarded the Best Director prize by the Film Directors Association jury at the 44th Istanbul Film Festival. It is currently playing in the cinema.
Defne, raised as an orphan, has acquired the gift of seeing ghosts in her adulthood, and decides to use this ability to find her long-lost mother’s ghost. She ends up in the ancient town of Side near Antalya.
This Turkish film, directed by Emine Yildirim, was awarded the Best Film prize by the Film Critics Association of Türkiye (SIYAD) at the 44th Istanbul Film Festival.
Written and directed by Ilkay Nisanci, this Turkish documentary delves into the struggles of students and the anxiety of exams after the earthquake in Hatay. It highlights how, despite not having buried their deceased loved ones yet, people were already consumed by the anxiety of exams.
The documentary was awarded the Best Documentary prize by the Documentary Filmmakers Association at the 44th Istanbul Film Festival.
Every year, the Istanbul Film Festival screens a variety of international films and premieres films made in Türkiye. This festival is a must-see event for all moviegoers and film lovers every year.
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