Helen's blog

Helen joining the 'FESTIVAL ON WHEELS' in KARS, Turkey

In a few days, Filmfestivals.com's Helen Dobrensky, will be hitching up to one of the most exotic festivals in Europe on the move : The European Film Festival on Wheels, organised by the ANKARA CINEMA ASSOCIATION, which presents 80-90 films on the way, through 3000-4000 kilometers, catering to the cultural needs of isolated populations living in the Turkish hinterland.

In this case, she will join the itinery in Anatolia, at the ancient city of KARS, near the Armenian border.

Initiated in 1995, the leitmotive of the event is to allow local citizens and youngsters, many of Kurdish origin, to see outstanding Turkish and European films in various cities at no charge. The entire foray lasts almost a month as the event takes its program to distant cities. This year, the route of the 13th festival extends from
ANKARA 2 - 8 November 2007
KARS 9 - 15 November 2007
SAMSUN 17 - 20 November 2007
to SARAJEVO 21 - 25 November 2007

In the past, the event even travelled to the town of DRAMA, in Greece and on its last leg will go to Bosnia.
Helen will report on this outstanding event from KARS, an old town at the Armenian border, mid- November, which has a remarkable cultural and historical heritage, going back over 8000 years.

Aside from its altruistic aim of offering the best in cinema to the outer regions, it provides a meeting ground for future film coproductions and leasing of festival films to commercial theatres and television.

Each year 25-30 feature films and 60-70 recent short films are shown along with the finest classics, presented in the Best of Europe and Retrospectives sections. Turkish films, which are most popular with local audiences, who can rush to see a special retrospective of a Turkish director or classics from the Turkish cinema.

Now in its 13th year, the Festival on Wheels also has an international competition of feature films with a monumental award :

The Festival Grand Prize, "The Golden Goose" of the City of Kars (15.000 Euro) for the best film in competition, the Special Jury Prize "The Silver Goose" of the City of Kars (5000 Euro) for the second best film in the competition. The short films in the European Panorama section will compete for the Audience Award (1000 Euro).

What promises to be a total Turkish cultural experience with authentic flavouring will be shown for the very first time on www.filmfestivals.com JUST FOR U - so stay tuned !

Helen Dobrensky

helen@filmfestivals.com