11th Bosphorus Film Festival kicks off in Istanbul, with focus on movies about Palestinian struggles

ISTANBUL 

The 11th Bosphorus Film Festival kicked off on Friday, showcasing a diverse array of handpicked films from both Turkish and global cinema, most notably encapsulated in the specially curated Palestine selection, which not only depicts humanitarian crises but also classic films that highlight the artistic contributions of Palestinian filmmakers and writers.

The festival, which runs until Dec. 16 in Istanbul, is organized by the Bosphorus Culture and Arts Foundation, with Anadolu, Türkiye's leading news agency, serving as its global communications partner.

Supported by the General Directorate of Cinema under Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the festival showcases a diverse array of handpicked films from both Turkish and global cinema, bringing these cinematic works to enthusiasts.

Samed Karagoz, the festival’s artistic director, told Anadolu that the opening film is The Teacher, directed by Farah Nabulsi.

Within the festival lineup, a significant focus has been placed on Palestinian cinema, encapsulated in the specially curated Palestine selection.

Karagoz underscored the urgency of drawing attention to the current humanitarian crisis in Palestine, with a particular emphasis on Israel's actions devastating the Gaza Strip.

"Israel has movements aimed at ruthlessly destroying Palestine, especially Gaza. We considered drawing attention to this situation in any way we could. That's why we included films about Palestine," he explained.

The selection criteria for Palestinian films aimed not only to portray humanitarian crises but also to showcase classic films that spotlight the artistic contributions of Palestinian filmmakers and writers.

He said, "For us, it was important for the films to portray the ongoing human drama, and we chose to showcase some classic films to focus on artistic production in Palestine and Palestinian writers.”

When it comes to Palestine, the focus is on international relations, wars, and conflicts, he said, adding “However, there is a great deal of artistic production there. We aimed to bring a bit of attention to this production."