Antalya readies for Hollywood moment

ISTANBUL, Turkey (eTN) – Actor Kevin Spacey of the United States will arrive to Antalya on October 17 to attend the 45th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, organizers of the film festival have said.

Engin Yigitgil, chairman of the Turkish Foundation of Cinema and Audiovisual Culture (TURSAK), told Anatolian Agency on Friday, announcing the surprise that Spacey would deliver a three-hour lecture on being an actor to 200 cinema students. All the best-known faces of Turkish cinema and many from the international scene will be in Antalya on Friday for the Golden Orange Film Festival, the “Turkish Oscars.”

The festival, the biggest event Turkey for the cinema industry, is being organized for the 45th time. It aims to support the Turkish cinema sector by fostering Turkish film producers and encouraging them to produce high-quality films.

Menderes Turel, the mayor of Antalya, said during a speech at a press conference held Tuesday that he realizes the goals for the festival. The mayor said: “The festival has become a base for the international film market in recent years. Our aim is of course to take further steps for the festival, which hosts three big events: the National Film Festival, the International Film Festival and the International Eurasia Film Festival.”

Mayor Turel added: “Eurasia Film Festival, which was founded in 2004 and organized in 2006 for the first time, is about to reveal the complete line-up for its fourth edition. For another nine days, the festival will bring continents together and will launch the Turkey premieres of more than 60 titles from around the world.”

The fourth International Eurasia Film Festival will raise its curtains with one of the most-awaited films of 2008. The movie titled, “Un Fiorno Perfetto,” by Ferzan Ozpetek, a Turkish filmmaker who now resides in Italy, will be shown. The movie has been garnering buzz after it premiered at the 65th Venice Film Festival. It promises to be the first “flash of magic” in Turkey’s cinemas.

After breaking record and making history as the youngest actor to grab the Academy Award for best actor and the only American thespian to receive a César Award – for his performance in Roman Polanski’s celebrated film “The Pianist” – Adrien Brody will be among the stellar names at the Eurasia Film Festival. Brody will walk the red carpet at the premiere of “The Brothers Bloom,” in which he stars opposite Rachel Weisz and Mark Ruffalo.

Another dazzling name to stroll the red carpet will be splendid talent Mickey Rourke, who made an impressive comeback with his breathtaking and dedicated performance in genius helmsman Darren Aronofsky’s latest feature, “The Wrestler.” Rourke will be attending the Turkey premiere of “The Wrestler” along with the film’s co-star, Oscar-winning actress Marisa Tomei.

Also scheduled to attend is Danny Glover, who made his latest appearance in Fernando Meirelles’ “Blindness.” Joining him are Jacqueline Bisset, Michael Ironside, Bille August, Hollywood Maximilian Schell, Matthew Modine, Susanne Bier and Charles Martin Smith.

Multi-talented artist and actor Michael York, who is celebrating the 44th year of his career, will receive the honorary award of the festival, along with brilliant director Paul Verhoeven, who will preside the film festival’s international jury.

Open to films of either European or Asian origin (and Eurasian co-productions), the competition section of the Eurasia Film Festival will be presenting two awards–US$75,000 for the “Best Film” and US$25,000 for the “best director.” This year, there were 87 documentary films, 236 short films and 34 films that applied to compete at the festival. The jury, formed of Atilla Dorsay, Mithat Alam, Serap Aksoy, Erkan Aktug, Tevfik Baser, Necip Sarici, Fehmi Yasar, Ziya Oztan and Muammer Brav, chose 16 films to compete from 34 applicants. There will be 27 documentaries and 25 short films competing.