4th International Women Filmmakers’ Festival will be held between 1-7 March. Festival director Gülten Taranç stated that they have founded Kadın Yönetmenler Derneği (Women Filmmakers’ Association) to be internationally official. “We want the association to be like a school and the solidarity within the festival. This festival does not just consist of movie screenings,” said Gülten, also one of the founders of the association.

RÜYA HÜSEYİNOĞLU

İzmir- This year, the 4th International Women Filmmakers’ Festival will be held between 1-7 March. The festival is not only held in Turkey but also in other countries such as UK and Kosovo. This year the festival goes on virtual due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This year’s motto of the festival is “Every woman has different dreams”.

The International Women Filmmakers’ Festival to be held this year for the fourth time by women’s solidarity and efforts will organize its activities under the umbrella of “Women Filmmakers’ Association”. We talked to Gülten Taranç about their association’s works, objectives.

“We founded the Women Filmmakers’ Association along with our team. Organizing the festival under the name of the association means to be internationally official. It is important to apply the funds for getting more supports. Now we have an official corporate identity. I think we will expand our works now.”

Men also can be members

Stating that nearly one in ten filmmakers are women, Gülten said these figures were very effective in founding the association. She also stated that women and men filmmakers can be members of the association.

“Our door is open to anyone who shares our thoughts and feeling on this issue, including men. Additionally, we don’t limit the activities of the association with just filmmakers; art directors, editors, directors of photography, and even producers can be the association’s members. We founded the Women Filmmakers’ Association along with screenwriter Duygu Kocabaylıoğlu and academic, documentary film director Zeynep Merve Uygun. Our membership application will start soon. I think that NGOs have an important role during the Covid-19 pandemic. Being an association makes us stronger on international platforms. The 4th International Women Filmmakers’ Festival will start in the UK and there will be movie screenings in Kosovo. We will organize an award ceremony at the end of the festival if the conditions of the pandemic allow us. “

Gülten said they would create more opportunities to produce films with their own perspective when the number of the members increases.

“I always believe in the power of the films to affect society. We want the association to be like a school and the solidarity within the festival. This festival does not just consist of movie screenings.”