Festival makes Mardin center for cooperation
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Aslı Sağlam
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Haziran 25, 2009 00:00
MARDIN - The Mardin Film Festival that kicked off Monday in the southeastern city will be concluded tomorrow with a happy ending. The festival's organizers made a deal with Dox-Box International and Damascus International Film Festival to collaborate in 2010. But, they will need significant support from local governments and both states.
After a few days of warming up, people said they became like family at the Mardin film festival. The indigenous atmosphere in Mardin is multicultural and everyone considers each other as brothers, no matter the religion, language or ethnicity.
The festival, which began with Turkish, Kurdish and Arabic folk songs, and the screening of the film "My Marlon and Brando" is coming to an end for the year. The small SineMardin organization team, the acclaimed names from Syrian cinema and festival visitors and participants agreed to carry the friendship to a further level of cooperation, which was one of the goals of the film festival.
Film festivals in two cities
Program Director Zihni Tümer told Hürriyet Daily News and Economic Review that they agreed on holding the film festival in two cities next year Ñ Mardin and Damascus. "We have not signed any contracts yet, but as the organizers we discussed the collaboration for dates and decided to support each other," Tümer said.
SineMardin has become the base for their ideas on how to develop the film festivals in both cities. "Of course we need the support of the local governments and both of the states," organizing partner of the International Dox-Box Documentary Film Festival Orwa Nyrabia said.
And starting with this year’s festival, the aim is to take a close look at Arab cinema and to introduce Turkish cinema to the Middle East. Both countries will have the chance to become familiar not only with films but also with the sector of cinema.
Although Mardin is a small city in terms of population when compared to other festival cities in Turkey such as Adana, Antalya and Istanbul, it became a perfect center for cinema and an example for a good collaboration beyond brotherhood.
Many partnerships were formed during the festival, which does not hold a film competition.
Syrian student Ahmad became friends with Turkish cinema school graduate Ahmet. Well-known scriptwriter Hüseyin Kuzu gave lectures to students. A technician from Adıyaman University oversaw the cinema truck that was brought for the open-air screenings. A few directors, including Murat Düzgünoğlu and İnan Temelkuran, participated in their film screenings. The student Haydar learned that he won a supporting budget for his planned documentary from a competition. Famous journalist and director Nuri Kino was on his way back from Midyat, where he was born. And, glasses filled with raki rose at the last evening spent together to say cheers to the fourth successful Mardin Film Festival.
Directors, scriptwriters, organizers, professors, moviemakers, producers, students and artists celebrated the success of the festival and its inaugural international dimension over Mardin cheese, appetizers and traditional food. Just like its first day, the long table, prepared for celebration, was home to various languages and ethnicities.
Mehmet Hadi Baran, the coordinator of SineMardin, asked Kuzu to say a few words about the festival. Kuzu stood up and said he was caught unprepared. "It is a festival that changes each year," he said.
Syrians ’neighbors’
Kuzu said he wants to use the word "neighbors" for Syrians, but not in a way that politicians do. He completed his speech and said, "We are here all together to create a successful film festival and have a successful outcome."
At the film festival, local support was evident. Most of the younger people helping the SineMardin organization graduated from universities in big cities and came back to Mardin. They aim to teach the people what they have learned and continue their work in their own city where they grew up fighting difficulties. One of these Mardin residents designed this year’s visual works, including the poster. Another one arranged and managed the visitors. The locals also participated in the activities.
The festival, which began with Turkish, Kurdish and Arabic folk songs, and the screening of the film "My Marlon and Brando" is coming to an end for the year. The small SineMardin organization team, the acclaimed names from Syrian cinema and festival visitors and participants agreed to carry the friendship to a further level of cooperation, which was one of the goals of the film festival.
Film festivals in two cities
Program Director Zihni Tümer told Hürriyet Daily News and Economic Review that they agreed on holding the film festival in two cities next year Ñ Mardin and Damascus. "We have not signed any contracts yet, but as the organizers we discussed the collaboration for dates and decided to support each other," Tümer said.
SineMardin has become the base for their ideas on how to develop the film festivals in both cities. "Of course we need the support of the local governments and both of the states," organizing partner of the International Dox-Box Documentary Film Festival Orwa Nyrabia said.
And starting with this year’s festival, the aim is to take a close look at Arab cinema and to introduce Turkish cinema to the Middle East. Both countries will have the chance to become familiar not only with films but also with the sector of cinema.
Although Mardin is a small city in terms of population when compared to other festival cities in Turkey such as Adana, Antalya and Istanbul, it became a perfect center for cinema and an example for a good collaboration beyond brotherhood.
Many partnerships were formed during the festival, which does not hold a film competition.
Syrian student Ahmad became friends with Turkish cinema school graduate Ahmet. Well-known scriptwriter Hüseyin Kuzu gave lectures to students. A technician from Adıyaman University oversaw the cinema truck that was brought for the open-air screenings. A few directors, including Murat Düzgünoğlu and İnan Temelkuran, participated in their film screenings. The student Haydar learned that he won a supporting budget for his planned documentary from a competition. Famous journalist and director Nuri Kino was on his way back from Midyat, where he was born. And, glasses filled with raki rose at the last evening spent together to say cheers to the fourth successful Mardin Film Festival.
Directors, scriptwriters, organizers, professors, moviemakers, producers, students and artists celebrated the success of the festival and its inaugural international dimension over Mardin cheese, appetizers and traditional food. Just like its first day, the long table, prepared for celebration, was home to various languages and ethnicities.
Mehmet Hadi Baran, the coordinator of SineMardin, asked Kuzu to say a few words about the festival. Kuzu stood up and said he was caught unprepared. "It is a festival that changes each year," he said.
Syrians ’neighbors’
Kuzu said he wants to use the word "neighbors" for Syrians, but not in a way that politicians do. He completed his speech and said, "We are here all together to create a successful film festival and have a successful outcome."
At the film festival, local support was evident. Most of the younger people helping the SineMardin organization graduated from universities in big cities and came back to Mardin. They aim to teach the people what they have learned and continue their work in their own city where they grew up fighting difficulties. One of these Mardin residents designed this year’s visual works, including the poster. Another one arranged and managed the visitors. The locals also participated in the activities.