International Istanbul Film Festival

The Istanbul Film Festival was first presented as a film week in the summer of 1982, within the framework of the International Istanbul Festival. In 1983, under the title “International Istanbul Film Days”, 36 films were shown in one month.

Beginning in 1984, the event became a separate activity and was shifted to April. In 1985, with the incentive of Sakir Eczacibasi, two competitive sections, one national and the other international, were included in the Festival program. The grand prize of the festival, the first ever Golden Tulip, was given this year to Michael Radford for his film 1984. The first grand prix of the National Competition was awarded to A Sip of Love directed by Atif Yilmaz. Accredited by FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations) in 1989 as a “specialised competitive festival”, the “film week” thus was renamed the Istanbul Film Festival. The festival since 2016 awards the Golden Tulip to a film that reflects “new perspectives in cinema.”

In 2007, the Human Rights in Cinema section of the festival programme became competitive and started giving an award provided by Eurimages. This award is given only at the Istanbul Film Festival. In January 2010, upon the death of IKSV chairman and co-founder of the festival, Sakir Eczacibasi, the International Golden Tulip Award started to be given in his memory, with the support of the Eczacibasi Group. In 2013, in memory of writer, director, producer Seyfi Teoman, the Festival established the Seyfi Teoman Best Debut Film prize. In 2015, a documentary competition, and in 2016 a short film competition were set up for films produced in Turkey–both awarding cash prizes. With around 50 local films in its line-up, the Istanbul Film Festival presents the widest showcase for Turkish productions.

In 2006, celebrating its 25th year, Istanbul Film Festival established the Meetings on the Bridge programme–a co-production market aiming to provide a launch pad for co-productions while bringing producers, directors, scriptwriters, and representatives of institutions from Turkey and Europe together. Within the frame of the Meetings on the Bridge programme, a Feature Film Project Development Workshop was initiated in 2008, and a Work in Progress workshop in 2012. In 2011, the Turkish-German Co-production Fund was formed by collaboration of the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg and Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein film funds. In order to establish and strengthen relations with filmmakers from neighbouring countries, the “Neighbours” platform was launched in 2016.

Address

Nejat Eczacibasi Binasi Sadi Konuralp Caddesi, No: 5 Sishane 34433 Istanbul
Turkey

Contact

Email: film.fest@iksv.org
Website: https://film.iksv.org/en