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Photograph: Mete Kaan Özdilek
In its 20th year, Meetings on the Bridge brought together filmmakers from Türkiye and 23 international cinema professionals. The platform is supported by Anadolu Efes and sponsors including OGM Pictures, ARTE Kino, Netflix, Fono Film, MFI (Mediterranean Film Institute), Tallinn Film Festival, Postgarden, Melodika, Filmarka, Panasonic Lumix Experience Center, Square Eyes, and DEPO Film. In addition to the award sponsors, the event received support from the German Consulate General, the Institut français de Turquie, the Royal Netherlands Consulate in Istanbul, and the Swedish Consulate. Event sponsors included MUBI, Sky Films, Atlas Cinema, Borusan Music House, Hope Alkazar, Istanbul Cinema Museum, and Yapı Kredi Culture and Arts. Başka Sinema is the promotional sponsor.
At the Awards Ceremony, Gülin Üstün—who joined Meetings on the Bridge in 2006 and served as its director from 2010 to 2023—was presented with the Istanbul Film Festival Outstanding Contribution to Cinema Award for her outstanding contribution and dedication over the years.
Photograph: Mete Kaan Özdilek
Work in Progress Platform awards
This year’s Work in Progress Platform featured 8 feature-length films in post-production. The selection was evaluated by Marcello Paolillo, project manager and producer at Locarno Pro (Switzerland); Tine Klint, founder and sales agent at LevelK (Denmark); and screenwriter/director Tunç Şahin (Türkiye).
Anadolu Efes Award – 100,000 TL
Dead Dogs Don’t Bite (Director: Nuri Cihan Özdoğan / Producers: Nuri Cihan Özdoğan, Kaan Özdoğan)
OGM Pictures Debut Film Encouragement Award
Dump Of Untitled Pieces (Director: Melik Kuru / Producers: Hilal Şenel, Fahriye İsmayilova)
Netflix Film Support Award – 150,000 TL
Expectation (Director: Ali Özel / Producers: Ali Özel, Osman Enes Yakut, Ahmet Necati Erdem)
Postgarden Colour Award
Memento Non Mori (Director: Şeyhmus Altun / Producers: Fevziye Hazal Yazan, Şeyhmus Altun)
Film Development Platform awards
The Film Development Platform featured 8 fiction and documentary projects in development, evaluated by Anke Petersen, producer and managing director at Jyoti Film (Germany); Mayalen de Croisoeuil, Senior Sales Executive at Pathé International (France); and screenwriter/director Nisan Dağ (Türkiye).
ARTEKino International Award – €6,000
The Guardians Of The Old Lady (Director: Selda Taşkın / Producers: Sezgi Üstün San, Gökçe Işıl Tuna)
Meetings on the Bridge Award – 100,000 TL
You Little Box (Director: Mert Kaya / Producers: Mert Kaya, Deniz İnal)
Fono Film Post-Production Award
Roots In The Air (Director: Elif Mermer / Producers: Dilde Mahalli, Elif Mermer)
Melodika Sound Award
The Guardians Of The Old Lady (Director: Selda Taşkın / Producers: Sezgi Üstün San, Gökçe Işıl Tuna)
Filmarka Equipment Award
Displaced (Directors: Barış Kefeli, Nükhet Taneri / Producer: Melisa Sözen)
MFI Script Lab Award
Dead End (Director: Şeyhmus Altun / Producers: Johanna Sveinsdottir, Ege Göksu)
Short Film Workshop awards
The Short Film Workshop featured four projects, evaluated by Berry Hahn (producer and sales agent at Square Eyes, Austria), Selcen Ergun (director and screenwriter, Türkiye), and Tim Redford (Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, France).
Lumix Pro Destek Ödülü
Election Day (Director: Deniz Cengiz / Producers: Deniz Cengiz, Selen Şenay)
Depo Film Short Film Award – 50,000 TL
Alone (Directors: Ilgın Harput, Ömer Gürkan / Producer: Aslıhan Altuğ)
Square Eyes Counseling Award
Orini (Director: Gülsüm Ölgen / Producer: Yaşar Irmak)
Presented for the first time this year in collaboration with the International Mobility Support Programme of the İKSV Young Artist Fund and the Industry section of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Tallinn & Baltic Event), the award was given by Marge Liiske, Head of Industry at the Tallinn & Baltic Event, to Gizay Akdoğan.
Photograph: Mete Kaan Özdilek
Supporters and collaborations
Meetings on the Bridge in its 20th year has been made possible by its main sponsor Anadolu Efes, debut film sponsor OGM Pictures, and award sponsors ARTE Kino, Netflix, Fono Film, MFI (Mediterranean Film Institute), Tallinn Film Festival, Postgarden, Melodika, Filmarka, Panasonic Lumix Experience Center, Square Eyes, and DEPO Film. It was supported by the German Consulate General, the Institut Français Turkey, the Royal Netherlands Consulate in Istanbul, and the Swedish Consulate. MUBI and Sky Films were event sponsors, while Atlas Cinema, Borusan Music House, Hope Alkazar, Istanbul Cinema Museum, and Yapı Kredi Culture and Arts were venue sponsors. Başka Sinema was the promotional sponsor.
