This year the 18th Jio Mami festival brought together a selection of 10 of the best Turkish films especially curated for the Indian audiences. It was attended by Turkey’s Vice – Minister of Culture & Tourism, General Director of Cinema, Turkish Ambassador in New Delhi and many leading broadcasters, producers, directors, scriptwriters, actors & actresses. The aim was to enhance the political, the economic, the artistic & above all the cultural co – operation between Turkey & India.
The said project was organized by Television & Film Producers Professional Association (TESHIYAP), and supported by the Ministry of Culture & Tourism, General Directorate of Cinema & Turkish Consulate General in Mumbai.
The 10 films being screened were ALBUM, MY MOTHER’S WOUND, THE BRIDE, SNOW PIRATES, WINTER SLEEP, EMBER, BLUE BICYCLE, DUST, WHISPER IF I FORGET & 8 SECONDS. All the 10 films were screened from the specially curated list of films for the Festival like MY MOTHER’S WOUND directed by Ozan Aciktan featuring Meryem Uzerli & Belçim Bilgin. The film tells us a touching love story about the trials & the tribulations of an orphan. While ALBUM directed by Mehmat Can Mertoglu featuring Sebnem Bozoklu, Murat Kilic, Riza Akin & Mihriban Er. It recounts the story of Bahar & Cuneytare an average middle – class couple with beliefs, dreams & pre – occupations typical of their provincial urban environment. THE BRIDE directed by Omer Lutfi Akad featuring Hulya Kocyigit, Kerem Yilmazer, Seden Kiziltunc, Nazan Adali, Aliye Rona, Kamran Usluer, Ali Sen & Kahraman Kiral. It entails the story of Haci Ilyas who migrates from the small town of Yozgat to Istanbul. 6 years later his wife Meryam & their son Osman also follows, little knowing that an inevitable tragedy awaits them. SNOW PIRATES directed by Faruk Hacihafizoglu featuring Taha Ozdemir, Yakup Kurtaal & Omer Uluc. It recounts the story of the inhabitants of Kars a remote city located on Turkey’s Eastern Border and their acute search for Coal. Their search leads the heroes to look where no one has looked before. WINTER SLEEP directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan featuring Haluk Biginer, Melisa Sozen, Demet Akbag, Ayeberk Pekcan, Serhat Kilic, Nejat Isler, Tamer Levent & Nadir Saribacak. It recounts the tale of Aydin who was a former actor but now runs a small hotel in Central Anatolia with his young wife wife Nihal & his sister Necla.
The other 5 films were EMBER directed by Zeki Demirkubuz featuring Aslihan Gurbuz, Caner Cindoruk, Taner Birsel, Istar Goksevensahinbas & Ayca Eren. It recounts the story of Emine’s husband who is detained in Romania and she finds herself on her own with a sick child in urgent need of surgery. BLUE BICYCLE directed Umit Koreken. It recounts the story of Ali who lives with his mother & his sister Inci in a small town of Turkey and after the death of his father he is faced with the dilemma of supporting his mother on a financial level.
WHISPER IF I FORGET directed by Cagan Irmak featuring Humeyra, Isil Yucesoy, Farah Zeynep Abdullah, Mehmet Gunsur, Kerem Bursin & Gozde Cigaci. It showcases the story of Ayperi whose life changes completely after she meets Tarik from the big city playing on his guitar who in turn makes Ayperi realise that she is indeed a talented musician. 8 SECONDS directed by Omer Faruk Sorak featuring Esra Inal, Fahri Yardim, Firat Celik & Don Muguel Ruiz. It recounts the story of Esra who feels caged by her familial relationships and laugushes in her job. She struggles in vain to get out of her moronic state. Yet in her dreams she creates for herself a secret existence which gives her relief. And last but not the least was a film called DUST directed by Gozde Kural featuring Oyku Karayel, Beran Soysal, Haji Gul Aser, Masud Ahmadi, Abdul Qadir Farookh & Muhammed Cangoren. It recounts the story of Azra who after her mother’s death wants to make her last wish come true. So she undertakes a dangerous journey to bury her mother in Afghanistan.
That apart one of the key initiatives at the Festival was a Turkish Indian Forum of Entertainment (Film & TV) Industry. It was attended by Turkey’s Vice – Minister of Culture & Tourism, General Director of Cinema, Turkish Ambassador in New Delhi, Founders & CEOs of leading Turkish production houses, high level representatives of Turkish line production houses & TV Channels, leading producers, directors, scriptwriters, actors & actresses from Turkey. The primary objective of the Forum was to forge new relationships between the Cinema & the TV industries of India & Turkey that will pave the way for collaborative productions, to build the legal foundation for co – production contracts & to contribute to the political, economic, artistic & above all cultural cooperation & solidarity between the 2 countries namely Turkey & India.
During the Festival, the Turkish Consulate General in Mumbai, H. E. Erdal Sabri Ergen, als hosted a Turkish reception with the attendance of the following guests: Turkey’s Vice – Minister of Culture & Tourism Hüseyin Yayman, General Director of Cinema Erkin Yılmaz, Turkish Ambassador in New Delhi Burak Akçapar, Turkish Consul General in Mumbai Erdal Sabri Ergen as well as prominent Turkish producers Birol Güven, Ali Gündoğdu, Faruk Turğut, Şükrü Avşar, Ömer Atay, ATV & Kanal D Representatives, Mars Distribution CEO Ferhat Aslan; successful Turkish directors Reha Erdem, Çağan Irmak, Ömer Faruk Sorak, Murat Şeker, famous actors Hazal Kaya, Sarp Levendoğlu & Kaan Taşaner.
Amongst the directors who screened their films at the Festival were Ümit Köreken, Gözde Kural, Faruk Hacıhafızoğlu in attendance. Some of Turkey’s leading Film & TV Stars also joined the Festival. They were Hazal Kaya, actress, TV Drama FERIHA shown in India, Kaan Taşaner, actor, TV Drama FATMAGUL shown in India & Ali Sarp Levendoğlu, actor, TV Drama LITTLE FORD shown in India.
In conclusion a little brief about Television & Film Producers Professional Association (TESİYAP) will not be out of place at this junture. So TESİYAP is an important professional organization of the Turkish production world. They protect the rights of its members: cinema & TV producers, collects & distributes copyright shares; works to organize events that promote & represent its members in national & international platforms. Its members are Turkey’s prominent film & TV producers, who export TV shows to 92 countries and whose productions reach more than 400 million viewers.
