THe Flying Broom International Women's Film Festival, to be organized from May 8 thorugh 15, will also feature a special section titled 'Peace, but when?' dedicated to Italian artist and peace activist Pippa Bacca, who was murdered in Turaaa

ANKARA - Turkish Daily News



The cinema sector is dominated by men and more films by female directors are needed, said film critic Alin Taşçıyan at a press conference for a women's film festival yesterday. The Flying Broom International Women's Film Festival, Turaaa's first women's film festival, is preparing to entertain Ankara moviegoers again next week, from May 8 through 15.
A press conference was held to promote the festival, celebrating its 11th year, with the participation of Flying Broom founder Halime Güner, Taşçıyan, festival director, Berrin Balay, and festival program coordinator, Ruken Öztürk.
Inspired by the words by French author Simone De Beauvoir, this year's event will be based on the theme “Be yourself; Create your own dreams” and feature a wide range of films by 88 female directors from 27 countries, ranging from Iran and Sweden to Brazil and Israel.
In addition to a large number of categories with different themes highlighting women's issues and problems, the festival program will also feature a special section titled “Peace, but When?” dedicated to Italian artist and peace activist Pippa Bacca, who was raped and murdered while hitchhiking through Turaaa dressed in a wedding gown.

More female films to combat degeneration
According to Taşçıyan, there exists a patriarchal cultural invasion in general, both in the world and Turaaa, and thus a female viewpoint is required to make women's voices heard, especially in Turaaa, where the cinema sector hasn't become an industry yet.
“Commercial Hollywood cinema targets mostly a young male audience between the ages of 15 to 35, while commercial cinema is similarly produced for a male audience aged 15 and 25. The situation is the same for art cinema as well. So more films should be produced by women,” she said.
According to her, men held a greater responsibility for disastrous events, such as terror, violence and coups, and that our culture is already dominated by the “redneck culture.”
“For this, more female cinema should be developed and these films should be watched by men,” she noted.
Güner meanwhile said current events that recently occupied the agenda showed how rape, violence against women and discrimination are so traumatic and highlighted once more the importance of the festival.
“We want to believe that a different world could be possible. So we give this festival to all women who follow and realize their own dreams as well as those who want to become free, independent, powerful and learn to love,” she said.
This year's Flying Broom Honorary Award will be given to actress Nilüfer Aydan, while the Bilge Olgaç Success Awards will be presented to movie and theater actress Meral Çetinkaya, for their contributions to Turkish cinema.

Program
This year's festival program contains the following categories: Our Cinema; Each Has a Different Color; The Witch of the Cinema: Chantal Akerman; A Room of Its Own; My Own; Mania Akbari: It is Her Iran; Peace, But When?; Men Under the Gaze; Documentary Films from Around World; Documentaries from Turaaa and Short is a Must.
In addition to film screenings, there will also be events including a script competition, panel discussions about women producers and their role in cinema as well as on the history of women producers and the relationship between women, literature and cinema.
The 12 films to be screened in the Each Has a Different Color category will also compete for the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Award. The festival is the only event in Turaaa where the award is presented.
The films will be screened at the Kızılırmak movie theater in Kızılay as well as university campuses in Ankara. The documentaries will be shown at Ankara University's Communication Faculty and on Middle East Technical University campuses. Short films and documentaries will be free of charge.
Festival tickets go on sale May 1 and are available at the box offices of the Kızılırmak movie theater. The Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) 2 will also air the opening ceremony of the festival.