The countdown to the 41st İstanbul Film Festival, organized by the İstanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, has begun. The event, which welcomed moviegoers thanks to online screenings, in 2020 and 2021, due to the pandemic, returns to the theatre between 8-19 April! 135 feature films and 22 short films will be screened within the scope of the festival, which is one of the most beautiful events that colour the spring in İstanbul. The 14-part program will feature films by 164 directors from 43 countries. Reserve your calendar for the most popular event of the April agenda, an enjoyable festival with discussions aplenty following the movie release; you’ll be running around the halls, and happy to once again experience the longed-for festival spirit to the fullest!
Beklenen Şarkı (A Song to Long for)
In the “Turkish Classics Revisited” section, one of the most beautiful sections of the İstanbul Film Festival, we come across a film that is remarkable for its firsts in Turkish cinema; Beklenen Şarkı (A Song to Long for). The movie starring Cahide Sonku and Zeki Müren is memorable for the iconic scenes of the duo at the piano. The star actress named Cahide Sonku was the first female director in Turkish cinema, was also the producer and one of the three directors of the 1953 film Beklenen Şarkı.
Beklenen Şarkı is notable for singer, actor, and poet Zeki Müren’s debut role in the cinema. The similarity of the story of the Zeki character in the movie with the period when the song “Sanat Güneşi” started to be recognized draws attention. The film is named after Zeki Müren’s work called “Beklenen Şarkı”, which was composed in waltz style. The important work, which was restored this year and brought to Turkish cinema with its new copy as part of the festival, is among the must-sees on the big screen to experience nostalgic flavours.
Mined Zone
In the Mined Zone: Folk Horror selection in this part of the festival, you will be able to watch important works in the history of cinema as well as the current examples. With its technique, approach and different narrative, the Mined Zone section will present significant productions of the folk horror genre to the audience, including some challenging, experimental films. With the folkloric horror films from different places in the world cinema in the section, it is aimed to make this genre more known.
Additional sessions in Beyoğlu and Kadıköy
Six more film screenings on 20 April were added to the 41st İstanbul Film Festival program. Additional sessions will be held at Atlas 1948, Beyoğlu Cinema and Kadıköy Cinema. You can get more detailed information about the movies and sessions from the official website of the festival.
