Countdown begins for Golden Orange Film Festival

The 51st Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival will be held between Oct 10 and 18 with a particular focus on films from Spain, the guest country Turkey’s premier film festival will be back for its second half-century in just three months’ time, as the 51st Golden Orange Film Festival brings together stars and top-level cinema in Antalya between Oct. 10 and 18.

“Thanks to the support of Antalya’s people and cinema lovers, from 2006 to 2009, the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival Golden gained a select place among the world’s notable festivals such as Cannes, Venice, Sundance, Tokyo and New York. The festival has witnessed a significant portion of Turkish cinema, which is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. But it will be unjust to call keep it as a local festival,” Antalya Mayor Menderes Türel said at a recent press conference at Yıldız Palace in Istanbul, adding that their goal was to make the festival truly global.

The mayor said they had made a sponsorship contract with Turkish Airlines (THY). “We are collaborating with THY not as a sponsor firm but as a strategic partner.”

Speaking about the unpaid debts of last year’s festival, which was organized by former Mayor Mustafa Akaydın, Türel said the problems were unacceptable. “After taking office, I saw that the municipality had economic problems and many debts were unpaid. This is shameful for Antalya and we will compensate it and pay what is owed to the award winners as soon as possible,” he said.

Speaking during the press conference, festival director Elif Dağdeviren drew attention to the linkages between film and the site of the meeting, Yıldız Palace, noting that...