Hasan Kalyoncu University (HKU) has undersigned another festival which gathers cinemagoers together. Organised in cooperation with the Turkish World Journalists Federation, the “Turkish World Documentary Film Festival Gaziantep Performances” hosted exhibitions, film screening, panels and interviews with directors in the first day.
“Our Purpose Is to Serve the Culture of the Turkish World”
Having started with the “Traditional Heroes in Turkish Cinema Exhibition” at the HKU Congress and Cultural Centre, the festival continued with opening speeches. In his opening speech, Chairman of the Turkish World Journalists’ Federation Menderes Demir mentioned the purpose of the festival. Having stated that they had set out for presenting the cultural assets of the Turkish world to the whole world, Demir said, “Our purpose is to spread the immense culture of the Turks over an expansive geography, thus creating a value through the documentary.”
“One Must Produce Knowledge in Order to Ensure the Perpetuity of a Nation”
HKU Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of Communication Prof. Dr. Edibe Sözen said, “I would like our University’s founder Hasan Kalyoncu’s words ‘One must produce knowledge in order to ensure the perpetuity of a nation’ to be impregnated in the minds of all of us. None of us is where we were and none of us is where we were born. Perhaps, it will be this mobility which will save the Turkish world. If we are to mention the perpetuity of knowledge, we, as missionaries of arts, will try to let our culture survive.”
Having emphasised that very little is known about the Turkish World despite short distances in between, Sözen said, “We will and should learn much through documentary films. Many times, we, as communication scientists, sociologists and humanities scholars, have questioned within ourselves how we can make this geography one of relative communities again. Here, the world of cinema and culture will be so important an instrument to re-unite these communities. I would take this opportunity to thank all who act as missionaries of culture and expend labour to that effect and feel proud for we are a stakeholder in such an organisation.”
Documentary Film Screenings to Last Two Days
At the festival which has had repercussions for its full contents, the documentary entitled “Blank Sheet” which is directed by Aina Merdova and which narrates the story of Turkmen women has met the audience. After the film, the Turkish Cinema was discussed in the panel entitled “Traditional Elements in Turkish Cinema”, which was moderated by HKU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Edibe Sözen.
The festival in which award-winning documentary films from different countries and interviews with directors will take place within the scope of 6 countries and 1 festival will last two days.