04/04/2018 - Istanbul Film Festival’s co-production and networking platform showcases upcoming Turkish productions and aims to strengthen international collaborations

The 13^th edition of Meetings on the Bridge (MoB), the international co-production and networking platform of the 37^th Istanbul Film Festival (6 – 17 April), will take place from 11 to 14 April. Divided into three main sections – Film Development Workshop, Work in Progress and Neighbours Platform – MoB is dedicated to showcasing projects from Turkey and its neighbouring countries and enabling opportunities for collaboration and co-production.

In the Film Development Workshop section, 12 projects – 11 fictional films and 1 documentary – chosen from nigh on 100 submissions, will compete for both the €6,100 (30,000 Turkish Lira) Meetings on the Bridge Award, as well as the €8,000 CNC Award. Among the selected projects are the sophomore works of Senem Tüzen (Motherland [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), Emre Erdoğdu (Snow) and Gürcan Keltek, who won an award at the Locarno Festival for his documentary Meteors [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Gürcan Keltek
film profile], as well as Burak Çevik, who produced Meteors and whose directorial debut, The Pillar of Salt [+see also:
trailer
film profile], premiered at the Berlinale Forum. Fikret Reyhan, who won the Istanbul Golden Tulip Best Film award last year, for his debut work, Yellow Heat, will also be presenting his second feature, while established actor-writer Ercan Kesal joins the fray with his debut feature project.

The full list of selected Film Development Workshop projects is as follows:

A Day or Part of a Day – Burak Çevik
Producer: Selman Nacar (Fol Film)

A Journey – Fikret Reyhan
Producer: Nizamettin Reyhan

Direct Sale – Abdurrahman Öner
Producer: Arzu Şenses Öner (Buhar Film Production)

Far From Himself – Yunus Ozan Korkut
Producers: Okan Üzey, Suzan Güverte (Kalavara Film)

Glasgow – Sinan Kesova
Producer: Yoel Meranda (Kamara Film)

Hopefully Candidate – Ercan Kesal
Producer: Kerem Çatay (Ay Yapım), Ercan Kesal (Poyraz Film)

My Brother's Army – Senem Tüzen
Producer: Adam Isenberg (Zela Film)

Everything In Its Right Place – Berrak Çolak
Producer: Engin Palabıyık (Harikulade Film)

New Dawn Fades – Gürcan Keltek
Producers: Arda Çiltepe, Marc Van Goethem (29P Films)

Normal – Ali Kemal Çınar
Producer: Sinan Yusufoğlu

Penny Bank – Ferit Karol
Producer: Nefes Polat

The List of Those Who Love Me – Emre Erdoğdu
Producers: Emine İzmir, Zeynep Koray
Co-producer: Hazar Ergüçlü (Rementad)

During the 7^th edition of the MoB Work in Progress section, six Turkish projects in the post-production stage will be presented to a select audience of film professionals, including distributors, sales agents, and festival and funding representatives.

The Work in Progress selection is as follows:

Come Rain Or Shine – Zeynep Güzel
Producers: Selin Murat, Zeynep Güzel

Evimizin Arka Bahçesi – Teymûr Evdikê
Producer: Mehmet Kamîk

Güvercin Hırsızları – Osman Doğan
Producers: Sinan Sertel, Turgay Şahin (Fanus-u Hayal)

İçerdekiler – Hüseyin Karabey
Producers: Hüseyin Karabey (Asi Film), Caner Cindoruk, Gizem Erman Soysaldı

Saf [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ali Vatansever
film profile] – Ali Vatansever
Producer: Selin Vatansever Tezcan (Terminal Film)
Co-producers: Harry Flöter, Jörg Siepmann (2Pilots Film - Germany), Anamaria Antoci (4 Proof Film - Romania)

Son Çıkış – Ramin Matin
Producers: Emine Yıldırım, Oğuz Kaynak (Giyotin Film)

Last but not least, the youngest section, the Neighbours Platform, launched in 2015, presents five feature film projects emanating from Turkey’s neighbouring countries - Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, and Syria. Along with encouraging international collaborations, one of these projects will also carry off the newly introduced Postbıyık Sound Post-Production Award. Among the projects competing are those directed by MIDPOINT Feature Launch participant, Gunel Eva (news), Cannes Cinéfondation participants, both past - Rati Tsiteladze (news) - and future - Meyar Al Roumi (news) – and the sophomore film of Hamed Rajabi (A Minor Leap Down [+see also:
trailer
film profile]).

The Neighbours Platform projects are as follows:

Clouds On Leashes – Gunel Eva (Azerbaijan)
Producer: Maria Ibrahimova (Cinex Productions)

The Empty House – Rati Tsiteladze (Georgia)
Producers: Rati Tsiteladze, Nino Varsimashvili (Artway Film)

Siyah Sefid – Sohail Afiat (Iran/Germany/Turkey)
Producers: Arto Sebastian, Karoline Henkel (Wood Water Films)
Co-producer: Zeynep Köprülü (Periferi Film)

Pas Farda – Hamed Rajabi (Iran/France)
Producer: Etienne de Ricaud (Caractères Productions)

Le Retour – Meyar Al Roumi (Syria/France)
Producer: Xavier Rocher (La Fabrica Nocturna Productions)