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14th Festival on Wheels | Kars

Aditya Sunday November 30, 2008

If people do not go to the cinema, the cinema goes to the people. This is the best way to describe the Festival on Wheels that has been bringing quality cinema to the remotest corners of Turkey while carrying the best of Turkish cinema to European and North American capitals. Kars, an eastern town laden with history lies at the Turkish-Armenian border. For a population of around 325 000 inhabitants, there are only two halls with screening possibilities. Hence the importance of the festival that showcases an impressive selection of films around the world in addition to the latest gems of Turkish cinema. For the locals, to meet Tarik Akan, the idol of generations with unforgettable roles such as in Yol or Mujde Ar who, starting in the 1980s revolutionized the way cinema looked at women with her daring performances particularly in Atif Yilmaz films, this is a dream come true and a good educational tool for the young generation weaned on the sit-coms of Turkish television. But Kars is also where cultures meet. Film students from Armenia or Georgia are invited to show their work or to make films during this exciting week. Animation experts from outside come to work with elementary school children who display remarkable talent. Coupled with the unspoiled local hospitality and the excellent programs of excursions arranged by the festival to take the participants on a journey of history, Kars is the place to be. If the local mayor, who is actively involved in the event keeps his promise, next year, we may even watch the films in open air, on the frozen volcanic lake, Cildir on an icy wide screen!

The festival opened with Pandoranin Kutusu (Pandora’s Box), the latest film of Turkey’s most important woman director, Yesim Ustaoglu and closed with Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Cannes winner, Three Monkeys (Uc Maymun).

This year’s winners were:  Golden Goose Award (the bird is practically the emblem of the town): Desierto Adantro (Desert Within by Rodrigo Pla, Mexico) about crime and the conscience.

Silver Goose Award: Sonbahar (Autumn, Ozcan Alper, Turkey) about the last days of a young political prisoner, spent in his hometown on the Black Sea. The film also received the SIYAD (Turkish Film Critics Award)

by Gonul Donmez Colin

Interview

Supriya Suri's Interview with Muhiddin Muzaffar

Director Muhiddin Muzaffar (1) 2 Min

1. I entered the cinema through the theatre. I was an actor in our local theatre called Kanibadam, named after Tuhfa Fozilova. After working for five years, I decided to do a theatre director course. I graduated with honors and became a director. We successfully staged performances at international festivals.

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