Message of the Festival Director

We are trying to surpassing the waves! We are in a pain that we will not forget, that we will not to forgotten... In these ruined and resentful days, we need art and cinema more than ever…

It is more important than ever for us to be able to come together in conditions that become more difficult every year from day to day. While it is more difficult than ever to produce independent art and ensure the sustainability of organizations in the ever-changing world and country agenda, we are in Izmir for the 6th time this year to continue telling our stories... This festival, which has completed its 6th year, has turned into not only a film festival but also a solidarity network over the years. While aiming to open an area where we can come together in the sector, we have managed to attract the attention of the world. In our festival, where 418 films from 68 countries have applied, 56 films will have their world premieres and 70 films will have their Turkish premieres at our festival.

While our cooperation with the University of East Anglia (UK), ECU European Independent Film Festival (France), Porto Femme Film Festival (Portugal) and Raindance Film Festival (UK) continues this year, we have consolidated the steps of our goal of delivering women directors' films from Izmir to the world with the inclusion of Elles Tournent, another partner from Belgium. We also took our place on IMDB.

As Association of Women Directors, we have experienced both the difficulties of the filming process and the difficulties of bringing the film to the audience. For these reasons, we are surpassing the waves this year with the pride of creating an environment where we can unite, share our experiences, and support each other without excluding anyone.

I’d like to express my deepest gratitude and endless thanks to my beloved team, who have been with me since the beginning of this journey;  to Dilaver Bayındır, Sevinç Baloğlu, Sema Pekdaş, Banu Bozdemir, Aysim Türkmen, Dilek Çolak and Jale İncekol, my family; to the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Department of Culture and Arts, which has supported us for four years; to the European Union Civil Society Project and all its employees , which has supported us for two years; to Nurdan Tümbek Tekeoğlu; to our screening venue Institute français Izmir and all its employees; to Izmir Sanat and its employees; to the Global Equality and Inclusion Network Association, with which we are in cooperation; to Ayşe Kırık; to WMC (Women With Movie Cameras); to Siyad; to Atakent Inner Wheel Club; to Ege University Department of Translation and Interpreting; to Megapol; to Selim Gökdemir; to Urladam and its employees;  to Ercan Kesal; to Hasan Bortar; to Kula; to Innotiva; to Rawsome; to American Foods; to Caffe Nero; to Grefin and to Wallonie Bruxelles International. I’d like to thank all of them! We will continue to surpass the waves for a world where women are visible!