Birgün / The women era began in cinema

The countdown has begun for the International Ayvalık Film Festival, which focuses on women's stories this year. Director Tan stated, "It is possible to talk about a women’s era in cinema."

Film enthusiasts are preparing to embark on dozens of different journeys behind the silver screen in Ayvalık. The countdown has started for the International Ayvalık Film Festival, organized in collaboration with the Seyir Association and the Ayvalık Municipality. The festival, taking place from September 17-22, will amplify women's voices more powerfully this year. The "Doğulmaz-Olunur" (Cannot Be Born - Must Be) section, inspired by Simone de Beauvoir’s unforgettable words, brings striking stories about women's lives to the screen.

Films that question the pains of migration, the complexities of parent-child relationships, and the meaning of life will lead viewers to deep reflections. The "Writers of Cinema" section, featuring films by great masters, will provide unforgettable experiences for film lovers.

The "Gitmesek de Görmesek de..." (Even if We Don’t Go, Even if We Don’t See...) section, which includes feature films, short films, and documentaries from Türkiye, keeps a pulse on local cinema. The "There is No Such Thing as Nature" section emphasizes the importance of nature and aims to raise awareness about environmental issues.

With 20 films that will be screened in Türkiye for the first time, film lovers will have the opportunity to explore the most current examples of world cinema. We spoke with the festival's director, Azize Tan, about this year's festival.

This year's festival focuses on women’s films. Themes such as family relationships, summer, loss, and urban confinement frequently appear in this year's festival. What are the criteria for selecting these themes? Each year, the trends in the film world reflect in our program. We usually start by following major festivals around the world to create the program. After that, we receive suggestions from our advisors. I believe we see a reflection of the current state of the world in the films as well. There are many films not only on these themes but also about women. It is indeed possible to speak of a women’s era in cinema. We observe that both films directed by women and stories about women are increasingly being told at the Cannes Film Festival, the Berlin Film Festival, and even at the recently concluded Venice Film Festival. Therefore, what we are experiencing, what is happening, and how we feel is honestly reflected in the films.

What can you say about the economic and cultural impacts of the festival on Ayvalık and the region? How do you think the festival is received by the local people and tourists? Since the festival was first held, it has really garnered great interest from the public. This is because we prepare a good program. We are hosting the Turkish premieres of many of the films we screen. We must also not forget Ayvalık’s charm. For instance, when people experience a festival where they know they can watch good and quality films in a place like Ayvalık, they feel inclined to say, "Let’s go for 2-3 days; we can enjoy time in Ayvalık, watch beautiful films, and be with our acquaintances and friends." Therefore, I think both Ayvalık contributes a lot to the festival, and the festival contributes a lot to Ayvalık. We already know that the number of people coming to Ayvalık during the festival time increases significantly. Both the tradespeople and the hotel occupancy rates indicate this. During the festival, a different atmosphere begins to settle in the streets of Ayvalık. We witness people running between cinema halls, and everywhere we see individuals selecting films or discussing films with a schedule or catalog in hand.

THE CULTURE OF VIEWING HAS CHANGED

As the Seyir Association, you aim to address the gaps in the industry with your programs aimed at young filmmakers. What do you think are the biggest challenges for young filmmakers in Türkiye, and what can be done to overcome these challenges? The film industry has recently started to shrink, especially with the pandemic. The number of audiences in cinemas has been significantly affected. The culture of viewing has changed. Now, people have started consuming films in various ways on digital platforms at home without going to the cinema. Cinema is an art form dominated by rapidly changing technology. Young people are in a period where they must quickly adapt to these new conditions, read and understand them, and develop new solutions. Therefore, we are trying to create supportive programs for young filmmakers. This year, we will also have a talk about artificial intelligence in the festival program. Two scientists will discuss what AI is doing in terms of productivity. It is approaching a situation where production is done almost without the need for humans. Questions such as how we can better understand this trend, where we will go from here, what we will do, how we will adapt to this situation, or how we will transform it will be discussed.

What messages do you want to convey to young filmmakers through your initiatives like the Young Cinema program and the "Yeni Bir..." award? The Young Cinema program is aimed at cinema students. We invite 30 cinema students from all over Türkiye through an open call. Together with students from Ayvalık, this number reaches 45. During the festival, they experience the festival; they learn how a festival is organized and what the conditions are. They meet people from the industry and have opportunities for self-improvement through workshops. This year, they will also be divided into teams. They will create projects under the guidance of their mentors. For the first time this year, students from Sweden will also come with the support of the Culture for Space initiative. Thus, they will experience the practices of film production in different countries. Can they learn from each other? Can they create something together? They will get a taste of that this year. We also have the Yeni Bir... Award, which we give with the support of Mey Diageo. This award is given to a director, producer, actor, editor, or screenwriter who has shot their first film in their cinema career. It is awarded to make the efforts of a filmmaker at the beginning of their career visible, to encourage them, and to provide a little financial support.