Youth Filmmaking Project in Turkey

December 18-20, 2009

Youth Filmmaking Project in 6 cities of Turkey

The Youth Filmmaking Project in Turkey is based on students learning how to make short films about important social issues. The project underwritten by the U.S. Department of State is an 18-month project coordinated by the State University of New York at Fredonia.

Atlantik Film, one of the largest production companies in Turkey, is the primary partner agency in the project. Six cities were chosen as training sites on the basis of geographic and cultural diversity: Edirne, Konya, Antakya, Sivas, Mardin, and Artvin. Twelve students from each city were chosen. Training started in November 2008 and lasted for one year. Students worked in groups to produce three films in each city (18 in total). The themes of the films evolved around democracy, human rights, cultural diversity and tolerance, women’s issues, and economic empowerment. The project films are now being screened in Turkey and the U.S.

There are 9 short documentaries and nine short fictions, and they can be seen at The Pera Museum, Beyoğlu, Istanbul on 18-19-20 December.