The 37th Istanbul Film Festival, organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) and sponsored by Vodafone Red, announced the winners of the official awards at the ceremony held at Rahmi M. Koç Museum on Tuesday evening, 17 April. 60 films vied in national and international competitions at this year’s festival.

Hosted by writer and TV programmer Yekta Kopan, the 37th Istanbul Film Festival’s Award Ceremony saw presentations of the official awards of the International and National competitions, Human Rights in Cinema, National Documentary and National Short Film competitions, as well as the Seyfi Teoman Best Debut Film Prize, FIPRESCI International, National, and National Short Film Awards.

International Competition

The International Competition Jury was presided by last year’s winner of the Golden Tulip, director João Pedro Rodrigues, and comprised actress Angeliki Papoulia, director Marcelo Martinessi, musician Pivio, and the director of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival Tiina Lokk.

In this year’s International Competition, 11 films from 11 countries were evaluated to receive the grand prize of the festival, the Golden Tulip. The International Competition Golden Tulip Award, presented once again in memory of Şakir Eczacıbaşı, comes with a 25,000 Euro monetary prize granted by the Eczacıbaşı Group–the director of the best film receives 10,000 Euros, granting 10,000 Euros to its distributor in Turkey. The Special Jury Prize corresponds to 5,000 Euros.

The winner of the Golden Tulip in the International Competition, in memory of Şakir Eczacıbaşı, is Western, directed by Valeska Grisebach. The winner was announced by the Head of the Jury, João Pedro Rodrigues, followed by the presentation of the monetary prize by Vice President of Human Resources, Innovation and Sustainability at Eczacıbaşı Holding Ata Selçuk.

The winner of the International Competition Special Jury Prize was presented by the director of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival Tiina Lokk.The award went to Cocote, directed by Nelson Carlo de los Santos Arias.

Human Rights in Cinema Competition

The Human Rights in Cinema award is being presented only at the Istanbul Film Festival since 12 years. The award endorsed by the co-production fund Eurimages, comprises a 5,000 Euros monetary prize. The Jury is comprised of artist and director Shirin Neshat; Christine Masson, producer of the French radio and television culture-art programmes, and producer and director Erol Mintaş.

The Human Rights in Cinema Award was given to Frost, directed by Sharunas Bartas.

National Competition

13 films that were completed in the 2017-18 season vied for the Golden Tulip in the National Competition of the festival. Among them, 10 films had their world premieres and one had its Turkish premiere at the festival. The National Competition Jury was headed by director Pelin Esmer, joined by cinematographer Gökhan Tiryaki, actress Selen Uçer, poet-writer Küçük İskender, and film critic Barbara Lorey de la Charrière as members.

The National Competition Jury awarded prizes in 9 categories: Best Film, Best Director, Special Jury Award, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Screenplay, Best Director of Photography, Best Editing, and Best Music.

The Golden Tulip for the Best Film in the National Competition went to Debt, directed by Vuslat Saraçoğlu. Supported by a 150.000 TL monetary prize, the award was announced by jury president Pelin Esmer.

Tayfun Pirselimoğlu won the Best Director for his film Sideway. The winner was announced by director Marcelo Martinessi, and Cem Kırmacı, the Operational Marketing Manager of Türk Tuborg A.Ş. presented the award. The Golden Tulip for Best Director is supported by the Turkish Cinema Theme Sponsor Türk Tuborg A.Ş. with 50,000 TL.

The Special Jury Prize in memory of Onat Kutlar was presented by Selen Uçer and given to the Butterflies directed by Tolga Karaçelik. The Special Jury Prize is supported with a 50,000 TL monetary award.

Mehmet Ali Konar’s film Hewno Bêreng / Colorless Dream was given a Special Mention. Barbara Lorey de la Charrière presented the award.

Demet Evgar won the Best Actress Award for her role in Serial Cook. The award was presented by actor and director Onur Saylak. The winner of the Best Actress award receives 10,000 TL.

The Best Actor Award was given ex aequo to Tolga Tekin for his role in Butterflies and Tansu Biçer for his role in Sideway. They received their awards from actress Angeliki Papulia. The Best Actor Award is supported with a 10,000 TL monetary award.

The Best Screenplay Award in the National Competition was given to Ümit Ünal for the film Serial Cook. Cinematographer Gökhan Tiryaki presented the award.

Best Cinematographer Award in the National Competition was given to Florent Herry for the film The Escape. Cinematographer Gökhan Tiryaki presented the award.

The Best Editing Award in the National Competition was given to Osman Bayraktaroğlu for his work in the film Serial Cook. The award was presented by Ayat Najafi.

The Best Original Music Award in the National Competition went to Canset Özge Can for the film The Pigeon. The award was presented by musician Pivio.

National Short Film Competition

Spearheaded with the objectives of encouraging short film making, supporting the development in this field, and bringing together the audience and outstanding short films, the National Short Film Competition was held for the third time this year. The jury, composed of art director and co-founder of Transilvania International Film Festival Mihai Chirilov, and director Ceylan Özçelik and actor-director Onur Saylak, chose the Best Short Film among 12 films to receive the monetary award of 5,000 TL.

Umut Subaşı’s film I Don't Believe In You But Then There Is Gravity won the Best Short Film Award.

Harun Durmuş’s film East Side won the Special Mention.

National Documentary Competition

This year, 10 films competed in the National Documentary Competition launched by the Istanbul Film Festival in order to support documentary film-makers and documentary film production in Turkey. The National Documentary Competition Jury consisted of director Ayat Najafi, the Chairman of Association of Documentary Filmmakers in Turkey Mustafa Ünlü, and the Director of Bozcaada International Festival of Ecological Documentary Petra Holzer. The Best Documentary Award in the National Documentary Competition is supported by a monetary award of 10,000 TL.

The Best Documentary Award was given to Fragments directed by Rojda Akbayır. The award was announced by Petra Holzer.

Seyfi Teoman Best Debut Film Prize

The Istanbul Film Festival presents the Seyfi Teoman Best Debut Film Prize in memoriam director and producer Seyfi Teoman, who passed away in 2012. This year, the jury of the prize was composed of editor Osman Bayraktaroğlu, scriptwriter and producer Elma Tataragić, and director Özcan Alper.

12 debut feature films by filmmakers from Turkey and screened in the festival’s “Turkish Cinema” section were nominated for the prize.

Banu Sıvacı’s film The Pigeon won the Seyfi Teoman Best Debut Film Prize supported with a monetary award of 30,000 TL given by CMYLMZ Fikirsanat.

FIPRESCI International, National, and National Short Film Awards

The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) presented three FIPRESCI Awards within the International Competition, the National Competition, and the National Short Film Competition categories. The FIPRESCI Jury was headed by Massimo Lechi from Italy, and comprised Elaine Guerini from Brazil, Jan Storø from Norway, Martin Kanuch from Slovakia and Ayça Çiftçi and Ali Ercivan from Turkey.

Massimo Lechi, Elaine Guerini and Ali Ercivan evaluated the National Competition and National Short Film Competition films, whereas Jan Storø, Martin Kanuch and Ayça Çiftçi evaluated the International Competition films.

The winners of the FIPRESCI Awards were: The Rider directed by Chloé Zhao in the International Competition, The Gulf directed by Emre Yeksan in the National Competition, and Wicked Girl directed by Ayce Kartal in the National Short Film Competition. The awards were announced by Massimo Lechi and Ayça Çiftçi.

37TH ISTANBUL FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS

International Competition

• Golden Tulip – Western (Valeska Grisebach)
• Special Jury Prize – Cocote (Nelson Carlo de los Santos Arias)

Human Rights in Cinema Competition

• Šerkšnas / Frost (Sharunas Bartas)

“We as the jury have had a great journey watching many films in the human rights section. Although it has been a very difficult task to award a single film in this category; we believe the film we have chosen, captures in great depth human complexity in war circumstances.”

National Competition

• Golden Tulip – Borç / Debt (Vuslat Saraçoğlu)

• Best Director – Tayfun Pirselimoğlu (Yol Kenarı / Sideway)

• Special Jury Prize – In memory of Onat Kutlar: Kelebekler / Butterflies (Tolga Karaçelik)

• Special Mention: Hewno Bêreng / Colorless Dream (Mehmet Ali Konar)

• Best Screenplay – Ümit Ünal for Sofra Sırları / Serial Cook
   
• Best Actress – Demet Evgar in Sofra Sırları / Serial Cook

• Best Actor – ex aequo

Tolga Tekin in Kelebekler / Butterflies

&

Tansu Biçer in Yol Kenarı / Sideway

• Best Cinematographer – Florent Herry for Kaçış / The Escape
   
• Best Editing – Osman Bayraktaroğlu for Sofra Sırları / Serial Cook
   
• Best Original Music – Canset Özge Can for Güvercin / The Pigeon
   

National Short Film Competition

• Best Short Film – Sana İnanmıyorum Ama Yerçekimi Var / I Don't Believe In You But Then There Is Gravity (Umut Subaşı)

“For its challenging crosscutting of multiple narrative layers conveying the absurdities of daily life…”

• Special Mention – Doğu Yakası / East Side (Harun Durmuş)

“For turning the all too familiar refugee crisis into an original and energetic display of directorial skills...”

National Documentary Competition

• Best Documentary– Parçalar / Fragments (Rojda Akbayır)

“For achieving a universal and balanced narrative in conveying a personal and exceptionally fragile story in a geographical stage that witnesses recurring social tragedies…”

Seyfi Teoman Best Debut Film Award

• Güvercin / The Pigeon (Banu Sıvacı)

FIPRESCI Awards

• International Competition The Rider (Chloé Zhao)

“For its touching portrayal of the fragility of masculinity within an aesthetic style which combines realistic storytelling with subtle visual poetry…”

• National Competition Körfez / The Gulf (Emre Yeksan)

“For the disconcerting narrative approach to the malaise of today’s Turkey and for the originality of its mise-en-scène…”

• National Short Film Competition Kötü Kız / Wicked Girl (Ayce Kartal)

“For the beautifully sophisticated and uplifting way the director turned unsettling childhood ghosts into an inspiration for his own strong cinematic voice…”