21st Meetings On The Bridge Award Ceremony
Photograph: Mete Kaan Özdilek

Organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) within the scope of the 45th Istanbul Film Festival, and with Anadolu Efes as its main supporter, the 21st Meetings on the Bridge brought together filmmakers from Türkiye alongside international cinema professionals from 31 countries.

Meetings on the Bridge awards were presented at a ceremony held at Pera Museum, to projects selected from the Film Development Platform, the Work in Progress Platform, and the Short Film Workshop selections. 

Film Development Platform Awards

Supporting nine feature-length fiction and documentary projects in development, the Film Development Platform selection was evaluated by Locarno Pro Industry Manager Daria Voumard from Switzerland, ARTE France Cinema Selection Committee Member Gilles Duval from France, and filmmaker Tarık Aktaş from Türkiye.

Meetings on the Bridge Award: 'Huckster'
Fotoğraf: Mete Kaan Özdilek

Meetings on the Bridge Award - 300,000 TL
Huckster (Director: Arin İnan Arslan / Producer: Arin İnan Arslan / Co-producer: Nesra Gürbüz)

Mattepost Post-Production Award
Huckster (Director: Arin İnan Arslan / Producer: Arin İnan Arslan / Co-producer: Nesra Gürbüz)

Melodika Sound Award
The Ones Who Move Slowly (Director: Dilşad Aladağ / Producer: İpek Erden / Co-producer: Burak Çevik)

Filmarka Equipment Award
Apollo Island (Director: Barış Sarhan / Producers: Umut Eğitimci, Barış Sarhan, Tolga Topçu)

Work in Progress Platform Awards

Bringing together ten feature films at advanced stages of production, the Work in Progress Platform selection was evaluated by Picture Tree International Festival Manager & Acquisitions Stella Wejchert from Germany, Sundance Film Festival Programmer Sudeep Sharma from the United States, and director Tolga Karaçelik from Türkiye.

Anadolu Efes Award - 300,000 TL
Other Seasons of Hakkari (Director: Evrim Kaya / Producers: Evrim Kaya, Sevim Sancaktar)

Netflix Film Support Award - 300,000 TL
Stratum (Directors: Daniel Kötter, Marko Grba Singh / Producer: Jelena Angelovski / Co-producers: Burak Çevik, Eroll Bilibani, Veton Nurkollari)

Postgarden Colour Award
Seeds of the Same Pomegranate (Director: Şeyla Korkut / Producer: Ines Asatryan)

Fata Morgana Trailer Award
Dancing Angels (Director: Ferit Kılıç / Producers: Diloy Gülün, Sena Tonguç, Beste Yamalıoğlu / Co-producer: Suat Sağlam)

Short Film Workshop Award

The Short Film Workshop selection, supporting four short film projects in development, was evaluated by Head of Berlinale Shorts Anna Henckel-Donnersmarck from Germany, actress and producer Bige Önal from Türkiye, and European Short Pitch Head of Programme Julie Marnay from France.

CUPRA Short Film Award - 200,000 TL
My Mother, Before Me (Director: Aslı Ekici / Producer: Yağmur Dolkun)

Lumix Pro Support Award
Mother Will Dad Be Angry With Me? (Director: Selin Aktaş Eyüboğlu / Producers: Esin Özalp Öztürk, Rıfat Erkek, Emre Pekçakır, Onur Hakkı Eyüboğlu / Co-producer: Selin Aktaş Eyüboğlu)

Road to Clermont Participation Award
My Mother, Before Me (Director: Aslı Ekici / Producer: Yağmur Dolkun)

Square Eyes Counselling Award
Orlando (Director: Halime Usta / Producer: Vildan Erşen)

Special Awards

The winners of this year’s Special Awards were also announced:

Türker İnanoğlu Debut Film Encouragement Award - 500,000 TL
This Is It, The Apocalypse (Director: Balahan Gürel / Producers: Aysun Karaman, Okan Üzey / Co-producers: Çağdaş Malay, Solal Coutard)

Breaking into the Industry: Mentorship Program for Aspiring Producers Award
Sığla Ünal

International Screen Institute Award
Leviathan (Director: Onur Sefer / Producer: Sinem Kanat)

Midpoint Consulting Award
Leviathan (Director: Onur Sefer / Producer: Sinem Kanat) 

Supporters and Collaborations

In its 21st year, Meetings on the Bridge collaborates with its main sponsor Anadolu Efes, its industry partner, the Consulate General of India in Istanbul, the debut film sponsor TÜRVAK, the training program supporter 19.30 Film, and various award sponsors, including Netflix, Mattepost, Melodika, Postgarden, Filmarka, CUPRA, Panasonic Lumix Experience Centre, Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival, International Screen Institute, Tallinn Film Festival, Midpoint, Fata Morgana, and Square Eyes. The event is further supported by the Institut Français de Turquie, the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Istanbul, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, and the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Istanbul. Additional event sponsors include Netflix, CUPRA, Koskos Film, and Sen’den, while venue sponsors include Pera Museum, Borusan Music House, Yapı Kredi Culture and Arts Centre, Institut Français de Turquie, and Atlas Cinema.