08/11/2017 - A number of European films will be screened at the Turkish gathering as part of the International Competition

Istanbul is all ready to host the fifth edition of the International Bosphorus Film Festival, an event where film buffs can enjoy both the very latest productions and well-known masterpieces. This year’s iteration will be held from 17-26 November.

The movies, which are all having their Turkish premiere, will take part in six competitions, each of which has an international and a national component. Both sections, short and feature films, will comprise fictions and documentaries.

Bosnian director Aida Begic (Children of Sarajevo [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Aida Begić
film profile]) will chair the international jury, while prestigious Turkish Cypriot filmmaker Derviş Zaim will preside over the jury of the National Competition.

The European films that will be vying for the prestigious awards in the International Competition are A Violent Life [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Thierry de Peretti, Khibula [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: George Ovashvili
film profile] by George Ovashvili, Easy [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Andrea Magnani
film profile] by Andrea Magnani, Rifle [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Davi Pretto, Marița [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Cristi Iftime
film profile] by Cristi Iftime and Kharms [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Ivan Bolotnikov. Amr Salam’s Sheikh Jackson, Egypt’s Oscar nominee, and Beyond the Clouds by Majid Majidi, who will attend the screening with his Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman and his Indian producer Vibha Chopra, are two non-European films that are bound to catch the audience’s attention. Two further interesting non-European films are Malaria by Iranian director Parviz Shahbazi and the Kirghiz film A Father’s Will, directed by Dastan Zhapar Uulu and Bakyt Mukum.

Meanwhile, eight movies will be in the running for the seven awards up for grabs in the National Competition.

A clutch of world-famous honorary guests will enrich this year’s edition. Tribute will be paid to filmmaker Béla Tarr through a retrospective, while the Hungarian director will also lead a master class for the pleasure of local film lovers. Another master class will be given by Bobby Roth, a director whose name is linked to successful TV series such as Lost, Prison Break, Miami Vice, Grey’s Anatomy and Fringe.

Finally, the Bosphorus Film Lab, the new name for the gathering’s industry section, will allow the writers, directors and producers of the selected projects, which will be competing for various awards, to take part in workshops covering various different aspects of filmmaking, under the auspices of prominent film-industry advisor Hayet Benkara (19-23 November).