Turkish cinema takes center stage at Spain’s San Sebastian International Film Festival

The 72nd San Sebastian International Film Festival – one of Spain’s most prestigious film events – spotlighted Turkish cinema with a special promotion.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism‘s General Directorate of Cinema and Türkiye’s Embassy in Madrid, an event titled “Filming in Türkiye – Turkish Cinema” was held in San Sebastian.

The event attracted significant interest from Spain’s Ministry of Culture, film industry professionals, members of the press and cinema enthusiasts.

Birol Guven, Director of the General Directorate of Cinema, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Madrid, Nuket Kucukel Ezberci and Mehmet Bahadir Er, the producer of the film “Gulizar,” which competed in the festival’s “New Directors” category, delivered speeches at the event.

During the presentation, Guven highlighted the website “filminginturkiye.com,” which outlines the incentives and support available to foreign filmmakers interested in shooting in Türkiye.

He emphasized Türkiye’s diverse natural landscapes and authentic historical sites as a “treasure trove” for filmmakers across all four seasons.

Guven also mentioned that Türkiye offers up to 30% incentives for feature films, documentaries and TV series, as well as a tax rebate of up to 18%.

He stressed that Türkiye is a competitive destination for international productions, providing high-quality, cost-effective services in production logistics, equipment rental, skilled labor and VFX.

Ambassador Kucukkel expressed her pride in Turkish cinema, noting that the country’s film industry is filled with inspiring productions.

She highlighted the growing number of young Turkish filmmakers and screenwriters who are producing remarkable films, encouraged by government support.

Kucukel added that Turkish films and actors are beloved in Spain, attributing this popularity to the cultural closeness between the two nations and their shared Mediterranean spirit.

She also emphasized the “excellent political, commercial and tourism relations” between Türkiye and Spain.

Spain proposes joint film productions with Türkiye

A representative from Spain’s Ministry of Culture, attending the event, proposed an agreement for joint productions between Türkiye and Spain, further strengthening cultural collaboration.

Mehmet Bahadir Er, the producer of “Gulizar,” which had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival and its European premiere in San Sebastian, shared his insights on the current state of Turkish cinema and his experiences with international co-productions.