London Turkish Film Festival Background

The London Turkish Film Festival (LTFF) was inaugurated by Vedide Kaymak in 1993, and since then it has been a vital event in the London cultural scene. Vedide has been involved in a variety of arts and cultural activities in London - promoting Turkish culture, programming for MTV’s Turkish channel, and co-producing short film productions. Her project has been facilitated by the energetic support of the Rio Cinema in Dalston and by the encouragement of its general manager, Charles Rubinstein. The supportive role of Film London has also been a crucial factor in the development of the Festival. Now in its 15th year, the festival has grown from a small three-day event to a full-scale film festival over two weeks.

The festival has always had an inclusive approach towards programming. Thus, it has provided a platform in the UK for a new generation of film-makers of Turkish origin who live and work in Western Europe. Indeed, as it has developed, the LTFF has sought to foreground the new kind of transnational cinema that has been proliferating across – and beyond – Europe. The festival has also featured a programme of short films, giving an opportunity to young feature and documentary film-makers.

Over its lifespan, the LTFF has screened nearly 200 feature, and 300 short and documentary films. The festival has also invited nearly 100 guests, including directors, producers, actors, and short film-makers. Panels and discussions have also featured as another key activity of the festival, and have involved a wide range of participants from the international film industry.

At this point in time, the LTFF is aiming to expand and to extend its reach to a wider audience. In order to be able to do this, the festival now needs greater financial support. This year the festival has managed to gain financial support from the Turkish Ministry Of Culture And Tourism.

Over the last decade, young Turkish film-makers, not only in Turkey, but also those living in Western Europe, have found new creative directions, making critically acclaimed films, and winning awards all over the world.

The 15th LTFF promises to be an exciting and ground-breaking event, opening up the new transcultural Turkish cinema to new audiences in a range of venues across London.

BALIK ARTS – LTFF Partner (Background)

Balık Arts is a registered charity, established in 1999, with the aim of advancing the arts education of children and young people from the Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot communities in London. The organisation also works actively to promote arts and culture in the Turkish-speaking communities. Balık Arts has successfully been running film-making projects for young people of Turkish origin in London for several years. These films have regularly been screened in the shorts section of the the LTFF.

Following the desire for the LTFF to expand its scope and range, especially with regard to audience, the festival began to work in formal partnership with Balık Arts in 2008 in addition to many years’ of joint work . The 15th London Turkish Film Festival sees the second year of this successful collaboration which brings together the diverse experience of two well established organisations. The resulting fusion of vital creative and organisational skills ensures this innovative and unique event reaches out into the lives of both the Turkish-speaking community and wider UK audiences.

Calendar

November 2009

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1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21

Festival Venues

• BAFTA Piccadilly
• Apollo Piccadilly Circus
• Rio Cinema

Sponsors

In Kind Sponsors

Media Sponsor

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