Golden Orange Film Festival Jury President Demet Akbağ resigns

The documentary 'Kanun Hükmü' (The Decree), which tells the stories of individuals dismissed by decree-laws (KHK), was removed from the National Documentary Film Competition selection of the 60th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, only to be reinstated following public backlash. Subsequently, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism withdrew from the festival. Following this, censorship returned, and the film was removed once again.

When the documentary was first removed, the festival's jury president, Demet Akbağ, had announced that she was stepping down. Akbağ, who returned to her post after the documentary was reinstated, announced last night that she was leaving her position once again after the festival management took a step back.

"I AM STEPPING DOWN FROM MY POST"

The statement shared by Akbağ on her social media account is as follows:

"I am stepping down from my role as jury president, which I accepted to talk about cinema and be immersed in it for a week. I will not be taking part in the festival due to the communication problems experienced, the failure to manage the crisis, and the discomfort I feel regarding my name being mentioned in events I was not involved in."

MINISTER ERSOY: OUR STANCE IS CLEAR

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy spoke on the matter as follows:

"I would like to briefly touch upon the Golden Orange Film Festival. Our ministry's stance on this issue has been very clear from the very beginning. As a ministry, we are always supporters of culture and art, but we are also extremely opposed to the use of the power of art for terrorist organization propaganda and the use of art as an element of provocation."

News Source: 12punto