‘Tavşan İmparatorluğu’ leaves its mark on the 62nd Golden Orange

"Tavşan İmparatorluğu" (Rabbit Empire) left its mark on the night by winning awards in 7 separate categories during the week-long cinema marathon, also taking home the Best Film award. In his acceptance speech, the film's director, Seyfettin Tokmak, said, "Am I dreaming? Is today my last day? I worked very hard; there is nothing as beautiful as seeing one's labor rewarded."

The festival, which began on October 25 with the traditional Festival Procession and continued with an opening ceremony where the Honorary and Achievement Awards were presented, concluded with a magnificent closing event attended by the teams of the competing films, jury members, numerous figures from the art world, and thousands of cinema lovers. The night, hosted by Nefise Karatay and Alpdoğan Esenoğlu, was dedicated to cinema workers, accompanied by stage performances and enthusiastic applause.

The most prominent production of the night, Tavşan İmparatorluğu, won the Best Film, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Art Direction awards in the National Feature Film Competition. The film also topped the festival with a total of 7 awards, having been deemed worthy of the FilyYön Best Director Award and the National Best Film award given by the jury.

Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Mayor Büşra Dirgen Özdemir, who was invited to the stage before the awards were announced, drew attention to the 62-year legacy of the Golden Orange, stating, "Art is hope. No matter what we go through, Antalya knows how to be reborn, produce, and hope every time. The Golden Orange is the symbol of this hope. This festival is the story of all cinema people who leave a mark on the future with their labor."

Jury president Ömer Vargı emphasized the production power and spirit of solidarity in cinema, saying, "This is not a competition; it is a gathering where we all exist together. No one lost."

"CHILDREN WERE INFLUENTIAL IN MY MAKING OF THE FILM"

Director Seyfettin Tokmak, who took the stage to receive the Best Film award, explained the process of preparing the film, saying, "During the time I was a volunteer film teacher for children, I saw children who were struggling a lot and experiencing depression. You teach lessons like this, you talk about colorful films, but half of the children were sleeping as if they had taken medication. Honestly, that feeling led me to make this film, and the darkness that forms the integrity of the film, but also Musa's stubborn insistence on remaining in the world of animals and rabbits against the violence of this entire outside world, the world of men, and showing a resistance that would somehow resist and transform, was very valuable. I have seen many children who suffered a lot throughout my life. Yaşar Kemal's book 'Çocuklar İnsandır' (Children are Human) is a very important book for me, so I am receiving this for Yaşar Kemal. It is so valuable. Am I dreaming? Is today my last day? I worked very hard; there is nothing as beautiful as seeing one's labor rewarded."

"WHAT COULD BE MORE VALUABLE THAN THE RIGHT TO LIVE WITH DIGNITY, HUMANELY, AND FREELY?"

Leyla Tanlar won the Best Actress award in the National Feature Film Competition for her performance in the film Erken Kış (Early Winter). Pointing out that female characters are often left with "leftover" roles in stories, Tanlar said, "I would like to thank my director Özcan Alper, who wrote such a character and trusted me enough to entrust it to me." The Best Actor award was given to Yetkin Dikinciler for his performance in the film Parçalı Yıllar (Fragmented Years). Dikinciler received applause by saying, "What could be more valuable than the right to live with dignity, humanely, and freely in life? We made a film similar to this." In the same competition, the Best Screenplay Award was given to Emre Sert and Gözde Yetişkin, the Best Music Award to İrsel Çivit for the film Parçalı Yıllar, and the Best Editing Award to Şöhret Tandoğdu and Deniz Çizmeci for the film Noir. While Yıldız Kültür won Best Supporting Actress for the film Kanto, the Best Supporting Actor award went to Sermet Yeşil for his performance in the film Tavşan İmparatorluğu. Claudia Becerril Bulos won the Best Cinematography award again with the film Tavşan İmparatorluğu; Tora Aghabayova, who undertook the film's art design, was chosen as Best Art Director. Within the scope of the National Feature Film Competition, the Behlül Dal Best First Film Award was given to Gözde Yetişkin and Emre Sert for the film Sahibinden Rahmet (Mercy from the Owner). The Avni Tolunay Jury Special Award went to Şeyhmus Altın and Fevziye Hazal Yazan, the directors of the film Aldığımız Nefes (The Breath We Take).

In the Documentary Film category, the National Documentary Film Competition Jury Special Award was given to the film Yerli Yurtsuz (Native Homeless), directed by Rıza Oylum, while the Best Documentary Film award went to Tayfun Belet for the film Roman Gibi (Like a Novel). In the National Short Film Competition, the Jury Special Award was given to Sandra Peso for the film Bimba, and the Best Short Film award was given to Deniz Koloş for the film Ölüm Bizi Ayırana Dek (Until Death Do Us Part). In the Cinema Schools Student Films Competition, held for the second time, the Jury Special Award went to Eylül Babur for the film Kusursuz Ölçü Nedir (What is the Perfect Measure), and the Best Film Award went to Abdurrahim Karabulut for the film Tümseğin Uğultusu (The Hum of the Bump).

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM WAS 'A POET'

While the Best Film award in the International Competition went to the film A Poet, Ubeimar Rios was chosen as Best Actor for his performance in the same film. The Best Actress award was given to Lea Drucker for the film Adam's Sake, and the Best Director Award was given to Tereza Nvotova, the director of the film Father. The jury special award was deemed worthy for the film Divine Comedy, directed by Ali Asgari. The same film also became one of the productions that left its mark on the night by winning the Sungu Çapan International Film Critics Award.

The Cahide Sonku Women's Labor Award was presented this year to Bilge Şen for the film Parçalı Yıllar, and also to art director Nanaz Bahram and actress Ezgi Yaren Karademir, who worked on the film Bağlar, Kökler ve Tutkular (Ties, Roots, and Passions). The festival badge given by the national jury was presented to actress Öykü Karayel.