A Rumour

At the media preview of the Festival of German Films this week, I heard from a Turkish friend that there will this year be a Turkish Film Festival screening eight films at ACMI over a few days (a week, perhaps?). Now, Turkish cinema can be hit and miss, and some of it is less than ordinary. But then, Turkey has also produced a true auteur, like Nuri Bilge Ceylan, director of sublime films like Climates and Three Monkeys. I believe that the latter film (one of my favourites of MIFF 2008) will be screening and rumour has it that Ceylan may himself attend the festival. From memory, I believe the festival will be in April or May.

Ceylan has a remarkable eye for visuals, though his contemplative, slow-burn dramas aren't everyone's cup of tea. It's no surprise that he has a long background in stills photography, which reminds me of the photographic work of Abbas Kiarostami, that featured in last year's ACMI exhibition of Kiarostami and Erice. Check out Ceylan's photographic work on his website. Here's a sample, Rough Sea (2007).

[Update 29/3/09]
Thanks to Simon de Bruyn, who has brought to my attention an Inside Film article that confirms some of the above:

Melbourne will play host to the first Melbourne Turkish Film Festival presented by The Republic of Turkey Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Antalya Culture and Arts Foundation together with ACMI, Australian Centre for the Moving Image.

Running between 19–24 April, this debut event will screen a selection from the latest international award winning films to the cult classics from Turkey’s cinema vaults. Through film, universal issues and human emotions will be explored in intriguing Turkish contexts.

Check out the full article. There's no mention of Ceylan appearing, though my source mentioned it's up in the air - he's a man in demand.

The Melbourne Turkish Film Festival website is down at this moment, but I've ascertained the following program info, which includes Ceylan's excellent Three Monkeys. Note the very reasonable ticket prices:

Sunday 19, April 2009
Opening Night
7.30pm Autumn/Sonbahar (private screening)

Monday 20, April 2009
7.15pm Alone/Issız Adam

Tuesday 21, April 2009
7.15pm Milk/Süt

Wednesday 22, April 2009
5.30pm The Girl With The Red Scarf /Selvi Boylum Al Yazmalım
8.00pm Three Monkeys/Űç Maymun

Thursday 23, April 2009
5.30pm Dry Summer/Susuz Yaz
8.00pm Dilber’s Eight Days/Dilberi’in Sekiz Günü

Friday 24, April 2009
Closing Night
7.00pm Pandora’s Box/Pandora’nın Kutusu (private screening)

Tickets
General admission $10
Concession $8
3 Films Pass $20
Gold Pass $55 (excludes opening and closing night films)