Turkish cinema shines with 3 films at 81st Venice film festival

The 81st Venice International Film Festival began in Italy, marking the start of one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious film events, with Turkish cinema set to make a significant impact.

Tim Burton’s film “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” opened the festival, drawing significant attention as stars like Monica Bellucci, Jenna Ortega, and Willem Dafoe walked the red carpet.

Isabelle Huppert, the French actress leading this year’s jury, spoke during the opening ceremony. She stated, “What concerns us all is that cinema continues to live on as much as possible. We know that it has been weakened in recent times.”

Huppert discussed the challenges filmmakers face, acknowledging their “courage, endurance, solitude, determination” in making films. She expressed her commitment to helping cinema thrive “for as long as possible.”

Additionally, Huppert explained the significance of festivals like Venice, describing them as essential ecosystems for supporting these values. “That’s why a festival like Venice exists, it’s like an ecosystem that is more necessary than ever to proclaim these values. So I’m really happy to be here,” she said.

The ceremony also honored American actress Sigourney Weaver with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. Attendees remembered recently deceased actors Alain Delon, Roberto Herlitzka, and Gena Rowlands during the event.

The festival will run until Sept. 7 and features 21 films competing for the Golden Lion award. Some of the notable films in the competition include:

• “The Room Next Door” by Pedro Almodovar
• “The Brutalist” by Brady Corbet
• “Joker: Folie a Deux” by Todd Phillips
• “Queer” by Luca Guadagnino
• “Maria” by Pablo Larrain
• “Ainda Estou Aqui” by Walter Salles

Turkish cinema under spotlight in Venice Film Festival

Türkiye is well-represented at the festival with three films being screened. Murat Firatoglu’s “One of the Days When Hemme Died” is featured in the “Orizzonti” category. Türker Süer’s “Edge of the Night” will be shown in the “Orizzonti Extra” section, and Cansu Baydar’s “Almost Certainly Wrong” will be included in the “Orizzonti Short Films” category.

Italian media have noted that this year’s festival is expected to shine more brightly, especially with the presence of many major stars, despite the impact of last year’s writers’ and actors’ strike in Hollywood.

The festival will conclude on September 7 with the closing ceremony, where the winners of the festival’s awards, including the Golden Lion, will be announced.