'Amur Autumn' festival: Turkish Cinema stands out in Russia

The “Amur Autumn” International Film and Theatre Festival, held in the Russian city of Blagoveshchensk between September 14-21, gained an international dimension this year, presenting only Russian premieres of 35 films from 19 countries to audiences.

The festival hosted countries such as China, Japan, India, South Korea, and Iran, in addition to Turkey and Russia.

The event brought cinema lovers together with a wide selection that blended art-house cinema with mainstream productions.

TURKISH CINEMA ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE

While director Levent Onan’s film “The Last Supper” represented Turkey in the feature film competition, Yiğit Hepsev’s “Let’s Not Go Out on an Empty Stomach!” and İlayda İ.’s “Spoilsport” stood out in the short film competition.

These films, which demonstrate the power and creativity of Turkish cinema internationally, received great interest at the festival.

Producer, director, and screenwriter Nilhan Aydın, an important name from Turkey, was also among the jury members.

Aydın joined the team led by jury president Taalaibek Kulmendeev, President of the Kyrgyzstan Union of Cinematographers. Additionally, the jury included Russian actress Maria Shukshina, Indian director Jatla Siddartha, and Chinese producer Tang Jinrong.

CULTURAL DIALOGUE AND COOPERATION OPPORTUNITIES

The "Amur Autumn", the only festival that brings together film and theatre, hosted a rich program including theatre competitions, special events, masterclasses, and retrospectives, in addition to film competitions.

It was stated that the festival deepened the cultural dialogue between Turkish and Russian artists and opened new doors for cooperation opportunities between the two countries.

Roundtable meetings and discussions held within the scope of the festival also contributed to the development of these collaborations.