Festival marks a movie scene evolve from a spark to a flame

Alanya has such underestimated potential. Hiding behind the shadows of Antalya, the main city, these days this beautiful corner of our planet is trying to release its actual potential. The kind of potential that would make any similar resort jealous, not only of its natural and historical resources but also of the intellectual habitants that add their own color to the rhythm of Alanya.

It was only 15 years ago that Alanya did not have a single movie theatre. Seeing this gap, Alanya's movie enthusiasts knew it was time for action when they formed "Sinematek" in 1994 and started to bring open-air screenings, exhibitions and staging theatre productions in Alanya. According to Sinematek, its first mission was complete when Alanya got its first cinema back in 2001. The group's next mission was to diversify and bring more variety to what was then available and the outcome is Alanya's "Documentary Film Festival". This year Alanya is hosting not only tourists from all around the world but also directors of a high caliber to celebrate its 8th Documentary Film Festival.

A total of 48 films from top-class directors
There are a total of 48 documentaries being presented this week. The directors and the films are not only from Turkey but there is an elite selection of top-class films from Finland to Israel, from Mexico to Spain. Here are some of the highlights from the large selection of films that will be on the screen:

"The Shore", directed by Rüya A. Köksal and "Citizen Mustafa" directed by Remzi Kazmaz are two films that stand out for their environmental approach. Both stories take place in the Black Sea region of Turkey and point out the way that we are destroying our environment while forcing the locals to change their cultural and traditional way of life as a result of industrial construction.

"What is it Like Outside?" by Nursel Doğan and "When the Rhythm of Life Misses a Beat" by Yasin Ali Türkeli argue the false side of male and female equality in traditional Turkey. Both these films are good eye openers for those who don’t know that women have suffered and still suffer from the traditionally male dominant Turkish culture.

"The Voyage of Nazım Hikmet to Cuba" directed by Çagrı Kınıkoğlu and Gloria Rolando is another must see and is about the famous Turkish poet Nazım Hikmet's trip to Cuba back in 1961. Those who are into Hikmet's works and his political persona will enjoy this film as Nazım's trip to Cuba has not really been covered by the popular media until now.

Another important character of Turkish history will be under the focus in "Mustafa Kemal to Atatürk." The film by Nuran Seyhan Bayer will be interesting for those who would like to have an understanding of Atatürk's battle for this country. Showing Turkey's founder right before his death, the film traces back in history he struggles he went through during his 57-year life.

"Life on the Line" by Ricordo Padilla, a Mexican director with a reputable background, highlights the Mexican dream of migrating to the United States and the issues that await these Mexicans who leave their land for a better life. Padilla dramatically shows the troubles, the gang crime, the poverty and the rape that these people will have to face on their trip to the U.S. border. "Life on the Line- Vida En La Via" received the Jury's Award at the Al-Jazeera International Documentary Film Festival. "The Shadow Men" by Suat Şenocak tells a similar story, this time the location is Sweden. Şenocak himself lived with refugees for 10 months before he completed this documentary.

In "The Shadow Men," he is searching for the reasons that drive people to seek refuge and the outcome is this nicely crafted documentary as the director himself was a refugee who had migrated to Turkey years ago. Both of these documentaries are essential for those who care about humanitarian issues in our age.

Two other documentaries, "Volga Volga, Living with Schizophrenia" by Ayşegül Selanga Taşkent and "God's Fool" by Egemen Adak and Hira Selman Kalkan, analyze the victims of schizophrenia in their own way. Where Volga Volga concentrates on a family that lives with a schizophrenic son and the hard times they have to go through, "God's Fool" draws an ironic picture of a society that would glorify madness. These are two different views of one psychological disorder.

"Brad, One More Night at the Barricades" by Miguel Castro, "The Desert Chronicles" by Frederick Jan Depickere and Pablo Castilla, "Welcome to Greece, Mr. Marshall" by Angelos Abazoglu and "A Letter for Tomorrow" by Hakan Aytekin are other essential viewings with their unique storylines that are included in this year's "Alanya Documentary Film Festival". All are recommended.

For all tastes
The festival has other documentaries that will attract all types of audiences. The films are handpicked to ensure that people from all around the world will find something to interest them. This year's documentaries not only focus on Turkish culture, they cove everything from global warming, war and religion to cultural conflicts and global issues that we all share.

The film "End of the Rainbow" directed by Robert Nugent tells about a gold mine and its consecutive effects on the locals of Guinea, West Africa. "Say Goodbye" by Johann Ericsson presents three-and-a-half years from the tragic life of a family living in north Gaza, shared with bombs, tanks and warfare.

For those who would like to take it a bit further, "To Be a Child in Iran" by Behrooz Karamizade and "The Tailor" by Oscar Perez will show segments of life in two extremely different parts of the world in Iran and in Spain.

There is a full listing of the documentaries on Sinematek's Web site accessible at www.sinematekalanya.org.tr . The festival starts today and runs until Saturday May 9. All the screenings are free of charge and will take place at the Alanya Chamber of Commerce and Industry Lecture Theatre.

A variety of realities
Some of the films that will be shown during the festival. Clockwise from top: ’Flying,’ ’La Paloma,’ ’Punishment,’ ’Meeting Resistance,’ ’The

Tailor,’ ’Bar De Zi and Other Stories’ (center top), ’To See If I’m Smiling’ (center bottom).