61st Golden Orange International Film Selection
As the 61st edition of the International Antalya Film Festival is in full swing, we are focusing on the international selection, which is of particular interest to us.
The selection stands out for giving priority to new voices, discovery-focused films, first-time filmmakers, and female directors alongside grand cinematic narratives. In addition, bold and innovative productions from around the world are featured, with most films being screened exclusively at the Golden Orange.
International Competition Section – “This Jury Has a Tough Job”
As the audience notes, the selection truly lives up to expectations. The selection, composed of 12 films all making their Turkey premieres, includes:
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“Agarrame Fuerte / Hold Me Tight”: Directed by Uruguayan duo Ana Guevara and Leticia Jorge, this film follows 39-year-old Adela as she copes with the sudden loss of her best friend, Elena, and confronts the absurdity of saying goodbye to someone so close. It premiered at the Tribeca Festival, winning one award and receiving a nomination.
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“Armand”: Yes, it’s Bergman’s grandson’s film. ‘Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel’s film, which goes beyond the story of a troubled six-year-old to portray a multi-layered family portrait, won the Golden Camera award at Cannes and was also nominated for the Un Certain Regard award. This is also Norway’s Oscar submission.
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“Basileia / Dominion”: Directed by Isabella Torre, this mythological tale set in the fog-covered, rugged Aspromonte mountains of Italy follows an archaeologist and her assistants as they uncover Nymphs while searching for an ancient treasure. The film premiered as the closing feature at the 81st Venice Film Festival.
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“Bring Them Down”: Starring Oscar nominee Barry Keoghan and Christopher Abbott, this tense story of two feuding families in rural western Ireland made its world premiere at the 49th Toronto Film Festival.
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“Derûn”: Müge Uğurlar’s film focuses on a journey of love that intertwines with betrayal and regret, inspired by the first story in the Masnavi, “The Tale of the King and the Handmaiden.”
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“El Ladrón de Perros / The Dog Thief”: Vinko Tomičić Salinas’s film presents various perspectives on the life of Martín, a 13-year-old orphan and shoeshine boy raised on the streets, and it was first screened at the Tribeca Film Festival.
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“La Prisonnière de Bordeaux / Visiting Hours”: Directed by Patricia Mazuy and starring Isabelle Huppert, this film delves deeply into themes of social class and female solidarity. It made its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.
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“Maryam”: Elchin Musaoglu’s film tells the story of Maryam, who returns from America to her small village in Azerbaijan after learning that her father, who she thought had died, is alive and staying in a psychiatric hospital. She works to help him regain his memory.
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“Pigen Med Nålen / The Girl with the Needle”: Magnus Von Horn’s film, inspired by the story of Denmark’s infamous serial killer Dagmar Overbye, portrays the poverty and despair in post-World War I Copenhagen. It was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival and is Denmark’s Oscar submission.
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“Samia”: Yasemin Şamdereli’s film follows the story of Samia, a Somali athlete with big dreams, running against the hardships faced by her country. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, winning the Jury Special Prize.
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“Shahed / Witness”: Nader Saeivar’s film tells the story of Tarlan, a retired dance teacher, as she struggles for justice in a time of conflict in Iran. The film, which had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, won the Audience Award.
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“The Return”: Uberto Pasolini’s film revisits The Odyssey in a powerful and timeless way, with Juliette Binoche and Ralph Fiennes in the lead roles. It premiered at the 49th Toronto Film Festival.
International Out of Competition Section
This selection is composed of films that have created a buzz at global festivals, captivating audiences and featuring yet-undiscovered directors.
The section includes:
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“Another German Tank Story”: Jannis Alexander Kiefer’s film uses a meaningful and effective visual language to present a tragicomic look at German history through the story of a small community. (Turkey premiere)
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“Hard Truths”: British director Mike Leigh teams up once again with Oscar nominee Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Secrets & Lies) to offer a bold and deep look at modern family life. The film made its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. (Turkey premiere)
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“Parthenope”: Paolo Sorrentino tells an epic story of freedom, Naples, and the many facets of love, centering on a woman filled with insatiable passion. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
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“Rhinoceros Conquered the Middle East”: Vahid Vakilifar’s film delves into the health issues of Elias, a once-successful theater actor whose glory days are behind him, questioning the relationship between modern societies and progress. The film makes its world premiere in Antalya.
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“Skunk”: Directed by Koen Mortier, this adaptation of Geert Taghon’s novel tells the traumatic story of Liam, taken from his violent family. (Turkey premiere)
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“The Substance”: Coralie Fargeat’s film deconstructs the Hollywood star icon, winning the Best Screenplay Award at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. It’s undoubtedly one of the best films of the year.
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“Sing Sing”: Greg Kwedar’s film, premiering at the Toronto Film Festival, tells a story about the power of art from an unexpected perspective, using a highly aesthetic and realistic narrative. (Turkey premiere)
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“Megalopolis”: Francis Ford Coppola’s latest film, which made its world premiere in the main competition at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, tells the story of the conflict between a talented architect and the mayor who opposes his ideas during the reconstruction of New Rome.
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“Im Toten Winkel / In the Blind Spot”: As part of a special screening, Ayşe Polat’s latest film, which focuses on a web of complex conspiracies, paranoia, and intergenerational trauma, makes its world premiere in Berlinale’s Panorama section.
From Borders to Boundlessness: Beyond the Horizon
Where do the boundaries of cinema end? This year’s themed section, titled “From Borders to Boundlessness: Beyond the Horizon,” showcases the power of cinema and its capacity to shed light on societal issues. These films from various geographies address common challenges from an impartial perspective, offering audiences a universal human experience.
The films included in this section, addressing the efforts to overcome borders and fate, are:
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“Endless Borders”: Abbas Amini’s film, making its world premiere at IFFR, explores the concept of borders from cultural, societal, and individual angles. (Turkey premiere)
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“Grey Bees”: Directed by Dmytro Moiseiev, this film is adapted from Andrey Kurkov’s novel, focusing on the lasting “gray zone” between Russia and Ukraine. (Turkey premiere)
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“Song of All Ends”: Giovanni C. Lorusso’s visually impactful film tells the story of a family mourning the loss of their youngest daughter in the aftermath of the 2020 Beirut port explosion. (Turkey premiere)
Other noteworthy films in this section include:
- Ali Kerem Gülermen’s “Yakamoz,” which highlights the human dimension of migration.
- Omar Elemawi’s short film “Is Anyone Alive?” about the life-altering moments a father and daughter experience under the rubble in Palestine.
- Agnieszka Holland’s “Green Border,” focused on the events at the Poland-Belarus border.
- Hany Abu-Assad’s Oscar-nominated film “Omar.”
These films invite cinephiles to see the world through another person’s eyes in every frame.
International Coordinator Letter: antalyaff.com
