62ND INTERNATIONAL ANTALYA GOLDEN ORANGE FILM FESTIVAL GREETED MOVIE LOVERS WITH THE MOST “HEARTFELT” SIDE OF CINEMA

The 62nd Antalya International Golden Orange Film Festival kicked off on November 2 with a heartfelt opening ceremony, welcoming film lovers and Antalyans alike. The festival will showcase the full spectrum of cinema across the city through a wide range of events.

Turkey's most established film festival has once again opened its doors to showcase cinema at its most heartfelt from Antalya to the entire world. The 62nd International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, organised by the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, kicked off on Saturday, October 25, with its traditional parade. Beloved figures from the world of cinema and television were greeted by the enthusiastic, loving, and admiring crowds of Antalya's streets. Artists participating in the parade included Serap Aksoy, Settar Tanrıöğen, Ezel Akay, Mahmut Cevher, Kaan Çakır, Mehmet Kurtuluş, Korhan Yurtsever, Mircan Kaya, Aybars Kuday, Cem Yiğit Üzümoğlu, and Yosi Mizrahi.

The night that brought together leading names in Turkish and world cinema, young talents with cinematic excitement, and cinephiles began with a red carpet ceremony, followed by a presentation by Cansu Canan Özgen and Alpdoğan Esenoğlu.

Ömer Vargı: I promise, we will act fairly.

Greeting the guests that evening, National Jury President and director Ömer Vargı began his speech with, “Dear film lovers, cinema lovers,” and clarified his address as follows:

I wanted to greet you without following any protocol order. Cinema has this characteristic: while watching a film, you may be illiterate, you may be a professor, you may be a garbage collector, you may be a high-level executive, but everyone shares the same feelings. They may not be able to do this in their daily lives because they cannot be together.

Referring to the fact that the world and our country are going through a very difficult period in terms of rights and justice, Vargı said, “I hope this festival will be very beautiful, but I wish next year's festival to be even more beautiful. Maybe we will find a solution to these feelings. On behalf of the jury, I can promise that we will act justly.”

Muhittin Böcek and Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel also sent messages for the evening. Böcek said in his message:

"I would have loved to be with you at the opening of the Golden Orange, which we brought back to its roots in 2019. Even though I am not physically with you, my heart, my excitement, and my happiness are with you in that hall. As it does every year, Antalya remains the city of cinema, labour, and freedom this year as well. While serving this city for years, I have always believed that art is the strongest breath of a society. Where there is no justice, equality, or freedom, art is also lacking. I know that Antalya's heart is still beating ‘from the heart’ despite everything. This festival shines a light not only on the silver screen but also on labour, solidarity, and truth. I thank everyone who contributed to this light so that it never goes out. Even though I cannot be with you today, I know that Antalya is still standing tall, alongside cinema, humanity, and hope."

Özgür Özel stated in his message, “I wholeheartedly believe that all the filmmakers competing alongside our cinema professionals who will receive awards at the Golden Orange Film Festival, which has brought many valuable names to our cinema world, will also make significant contributions to the journey of our art world, following in the footsteps of the giants of our cinema.”

Festival President and Deputy Mayor of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, Büşra Özdemir, delivered the opening speech of the evening. Özdemir began her speech by saying, “Today, we are raising the curtain on art, which was first raised in 1964 under the leadership of Dr Avni Tolunay, with the same excitement, the same passion, and the same heartfelt belief. And we know that our festival is not only a curtain for films, but also for freedom, solidarity, and hope. This curtain is the common conscience of humanity and the truth itself.” Özdemir, who stated that cinema seeks ‘truth’ under all circumstances, continued his speech as follows: Today, in this hall, we are not only at the beginning of a festival, but also of a belief, of hard work, of a journey. Every film we watch together will bring us a little closer together, and we will remember once again that art is the heart of our beautiful country, and as long as that heart beats, our belief in better days will never fade. It is our greatest responsibility not only to keep this tradition alive but also to carry it forward.

Özdemir, reminding everyone that October 25 is also Muhittin Böcek's birthday, said, “Perhaps he is not here in this hall today, but his hard work, his faith, and his great love for Antalya are here with us, in every light of this festival, in every heartbeat.” He then addressed Böcek from the festival: “With our belief in justice, freedom, hope, and better days, we celebrate your birthday and send you our heartfelt applause with all our love.” Özdemir concluded his remarks by saying, “I sincerely hope that the light of cinema will spread from Antalya to the whole world! May this festival be a source of hope for everyone who sees and feels with their heart!”

Honorary Awards to veteran actors Serap Aksoy and Settar Tanrıöğen

Aksoy: “Let this lack of love and greed end now!”

The first Honorary Award of the night was presented by Büşra Özdemir, Deputy Mayor of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, to master artist Settar Tanrıöğen. Tanrıöğen said, “I am very surprised, I don't know what to say. I want to thank the festival for considering me worthy of this award, even though I did not have a film in the festival.”

Veteran actress Serap Aksoy received the Honorary Award from Cem Yiğit Üzümoğlu. “I accept this award on behalf of everyone whose freedoms have been unjustly and unlawfully taken away,” said Aksoy, continuing her speech: We are living in an age of ruthless human suffering. In the midst of hell, ashamed of our humanity, we are fighting for survival by taking refuge in the healing power of art. Let this lovelessness and greed end now.

Cinema Labour Award: Feride Çiçekoğlu “I learned to laugh in prison”

This year's Cinema Labour Award went to screenwriter and author Feride Çiçekoğlu, who received it from Galip Görür, President of the Cinema Workers' Union (SİNE-SEN). Çiçekoğlu began her acceptance speech with a touch of humour: "This is my third time here; the first time, I was a student learning to write screenplays. The second time was because of the support I gave to the film of my dear student, Selman Nacar. Now, I emphasise this so it's not perceived as ‘we've made it a trilogy’ or ‘enough is enough.’“ Çiçekoğlu concluded her remarks: ”I learned to laugh in prison. You have to laugh to survive there. Rest assured, those inside will emerge stronger, more resilient; there will be new stories. When they come out, we will applaud them again on this stage."

If he sees it, he says, “Where the light of cinema falls, there is life. But today, darkness is falling on the children of Gaza. Let us be the light for Gaza.”

Success Awards to Merve Dizdar and Selahattin Paşalı: “The Antalya audience is fantastic!”

The Success Awards, presented at the opening ceremony to honour young, successful actors, also announced their winners. This year, the first award, given to Merve Dizdar and Selahattin Paşalı, was presented by Mehmet Kurtuluş, a member of the festival's International Jury and an actor. Dizdar accepted her award, saying, “When I won the Best Actress award for the film ‘ Kar ve Ayı ’ in 2022, it was the Antalya audience that excited me the most. Thank you, audience —you are wonderful! I wish you all a great week, a little away from the world, away from everything, just talking about movies.”

Another recipient of the Achievement Award, actor Selahattin Paşalı, participated in the ceremony via video message. In his message, Paşalı said: "I am very sorry that I cannot attend this evening, which will be a legacy for my family. I wholeheartedly thank the festival for recognising our professional journey, honouring us, and giving us responsibility for the future. This is not an individual award; I dedicate it to everyone who has contributed to my professional journey. Sharing the award with Merve is also meaningful to me: Merve and I crossed paths in theatre in 2017. Now we are sharing the success award at our country's most established film festival."

Cansu Baydar: The descendants of the burned witches will speak their minds until the earth becomes the face of love!

That evening, the Young Filmmaker Achievement Award was presented to young director Cansu Baydar, who won numerous awards, including the Golden Orange for her short film Almost Definitely Wrong. Receiving her award from director Ömer Vargı, young director Cansu Baydar said, "It's very exciting to be on this stage for the second time. I am here thanks to the hard work of our team, who are obsessed with their work. Thank you very much.“ Baydar concluded her speech by saying, ”I know that the descendants of the witches who were once burned will continue to express their views until the earth becomes the face of love."