The festival comprises five major competitions within its programme: International Competition, National Competition, Human Rights in Cinema Competition, National Documentary Competition and National Short Film Competition. The festival will once again present a selection of the bests of the fests to cult films, the foremost showcase of films from Turkey, along with retrospectives, new discoveries, and masterpieces.
The festival awards the Golden Tulip as its grand prize in the international competition which comprises films that open up “New Perspectives in Cinema,” giving 10,000€ to the winner and 5,000€ to the recipient of the Jury Special Prize.
Within the National Competition, nine prizes will be awarded, as well as the Best Debut Film Award given in memory of filmmaker Seyfi Teoman, supported by a 30,000TL reward given by CMLYLMZ Fikirsanat. This year, LU Records will be presenting 5,000TL to the winner of the Best Original Music Award within the National Competition.
The Public Votes for the Human Rights in Cinema Competition
The Human Rights in Cinema section has been a part of the Istanbul Film Festival programme since 2000, and was transformed into an international competitive section in 2007 with the endorsement of the Council of Europe cultural support fund Eurimages. For the 39th Istanbul Film Festival, the winner of the Human Rights in Cinema competition will be determined by public vote.
National Short Film Competition
The jury to assess the films in the National Short Film Competition for the 39th Istanbul Film Festival comprises award-winning short film director Konstantina Kotzamani, whose films were screened in festivals such as BAFICI, Festival du Nouveau Cinema, Montreal and Vilnius; the winner of the 38th Istanbul Film Festival’s Best Short Film Award, freelance animator and director Gökalp Gönen, and Turkish actor Boran Kuzum. The winning film will be awarded 5,000 TL granted by Anadolu Efes.
National Documentary Competition
The Istanbul Film Festival will be awarding a 10,000 TL-worth Best Documentary Award to the winner of the competition. The National Documentary Competition jury consists of director Rûken Tekeş, director and artist Ezgi Kılınçaslan, and producer and director Yasin Ali Türkeri.
Seyfi Teoman Best Debut Film Prize
The Istanbul Film Festival presents the Seyfi Teoman Best Debut Film Prize in memoriam director and producer Seyfi Teoman, who passed away in 2012. Director of the film awarded with the Seyfi Teoman Best Debut Film Prize will be presented 30,000 TL by CMYLMZ Fikirsanat. Seyfi Teoman Best Debut Film Prize jury consists of director Emine Emel Balcı, actor Berk Hakman, and composer Ahmet K. Bilgiç.
