If poetry is the embodiment of lines that seek out the dream in the dreamer, the inner voice of the self, the scattered metaphors of our existence, the very centre of such practise should be Istanbul given its cultural heritage, geohistorical relevance and its political stance.

International Istanbul Poetry Festival (IIPF) will officially take place on Tuesday, 10th May – Saturday, 14th May 2011 with the participation of 40 poets from 17 countries, and is considered as the biggest international literary event in Turkey.

http://www.istanbulsiirfestivali.org/en/

İstanbul Poetry Festival to focus on Arab poetry

April 26 will mark the beginning of the sixth five-day International İstanbul Poetry Festival, a highly anticipated annual event that will focus on Arab poetry this year, the Anatolia news agency reported on Monday.

Organized by the Institute for History and Social Sciences, acclaimed Arab poets and artists including Saif al-Rahbi from Oman, Khaled Najar from Tunisia, Hanan Awwad from Jerusalem, Jordanian Musa Hawamdeh and Fawziyya Abu-Khalid from Saudi Arabia will all take part.

Turkish poet and musician Muzaffer Özdemir will be performing at the event opening, which will take place at Mimar Sinan University’s Bomonti campus. A number of poems in Turkish, Kurdish and Adyghe from Turkish poets Lale Müldür and Özkan Mert will also be included. In all, a total of 27 poets from 23 countries will be attending a variety of poetry readings and sessions, including Scandinavian poets who were unable to attend the festival last year due to the Icelandic volcanic eruption.

Venues for the festival are varied, including the İstanbul Music Academy, Cezayir Restaurant, Pano Wine House, Kadıköy’s historic marketplace, La Bella Bridal Boutique and the Bakırköy town square. Turkish folk singer/songwriter Zülfü Livaneli will perform in an event at the Crimean Church in Beyoğlu, and famous Arab musician Ali Nafile will be singing at events during “Arab Night,” which is dedicated exclusively to Arabic works.

Source: http://www.sundayszaman.com/sunday/newsDetail_getNewsById.action?newsId=241494

Running until April 17, the festival features a wide ranging program composed of special retrospectives exclusive to the 30th year that include new films that premiered in January at Sundance and in February at Berlin, Golden Tulip International and National Competitions, the Film Award of The Council of Europe, or FACE, documentaries and children’s films.

In the International Competition section of the festival, 12 films that received attention from film circles dealing with the themes of art and artistic or literary adaptations will compete for the Golden Tulip. This year, famous director Claire Denis will assume the jury president’s chair for the Golden Tulip International Competition.

The Turkish Cinema section of the film extravaganza will feature films produced in Turkey during 2010-2011. There will be 46 fiction and documentary films for the National Competition, New Turkish Cinema and Documentary sections.

Full story: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=istanbul-film-festival-kicks-off-saturday-2011-03-30

History of the Istanbul Film Festival

The International Istanbul Film Festival was first presented as a film week in the summer of 1982, within the framework of the International Istanbul Festival. In 1983 under the title “International Istanbul Film Days”, 36 films were shown in one month.

Beginning in 1984, the event became a separate activity and was shifted to April. In 1985, with the incentive of Şakir Eczacıbaşı, two competitive sections, one national and the other international, were included in the Festival program. The grand prize of the festival, the Golden Tulip, was first given this year to Michael Radford for his film 1984. Accredited by FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations) since 1989 as a “specialised competitive festival”, the “film week” thus was renamed the International Istanbul Film Festival. Only films on arts or artists or literary adaptations can participate to the International Golden Tulip Competition.

In 2006, celebrating its 25th year, the International Istanbul Film Festival launched the Meetings on the Bridge programme, which aims at bringing together representatives of European film institutions with Turkish producers and directors to discuss funding possibilities for filming projects. Another objective of this two-day conference series is to create a meeting platform where European producers seeking collaboration opportunities with Turkey can meet their Turkish counterparts to discuss the co-production potentials and the difficulties encountered so far on the projects they wanted to realise. Within the frame of the Meetings on the Bridge programme, a Feature Film Project Development Workshop was initiated in 2008. With these activities, the Festival provides a meeting platform for film professionals (directors, producers, scriptwriters and reps from institutions) from Europe and Turkey.

In 2007, the Human Rights in Cinema section of the festival programme became competitive and started giving the FACE (Film Award of the Council of Europe) in collaboration with the Council of Europe and Eurimages. This award is given only at the International Istanbul Film Festival.

The Festival features a thematically specialized international competition, provides a showcase for recent Turkish film productions, and thus represents a rewarding medium where Turkish and foreign filmmakers get together. The Festival draws a special interest to world classics, presenting retrospective sections within its programs particularly attended by young audiences. For the first time in 2005, special thematic curated sections were included in the programme which comprises approximately 200 titles, making the Festival the comprehensive film festival in Turkey. With an audience of 170,000 in 2007, it is also considered the biggest film festival.

A member of the advisory board and programme advisor since 1983, Vecdi Sayar quit his post in 1995. In 1995, co-founder of the festival and İKSV executive Onat Kutlar was killed in a terrorist bombing. Festival director since 1983, Hülya Uçansu handed her post over to Assistant Director Azize Tan in 2006.

In January 2010, İKSV chairman and co-founder of the festival Şakir Eczacıbaşı died. The International Golden Tulip Award, with the support of the Eczacıbaşı Group, strated to be given in memory of Şakir Eczacıbaşı.

The Festival, whose aim is “to encourage the development of cinema in Turkey, to help Turkish cinema attain international recognition and to promote films of quality in the Turkish market”, has also introduced international institutions and organizations like EURIMAGES to the Turkish market.

Numerous filmmakers, actors and actresses visited the festival in its 30 film like years, such as, Claudia Cardinale, Catherine Deneuve, Gérard Depardieu, Harvey Keitel, John Malkovich, Jeanne Moreau, Greta Scacchi, Sophia Loren, Bernardo Bertolucci, François Ozon, Paul Schrader, Tsai Ming-liang, Park Chan-wook, Neil Jordan, Jane Campion, Alain Robbe-Grillet, Bertrand Tavernier, Carlos Saura, Nanni Moretti, Theo Angelopoulos, Paul Cox, Abbas Kiarostami, Jerry Schatzberg, Yusuf Şahin, Emir Kusturica, Elia Kazan, Nikita Mikhalkov, Ken Russell, Roger Corman, István Szabó, Krzysztof Kieślowski, Nagisa Oshima, Ettore Scola, Michelangelo Antonioni, Peter Greenaway, Stephen Frears, Gus Van Sant, Alexander Sokurov, Jerzy Skolimowski, Mark Caro, Marco Bellocchio, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Tony Gatlif, Todd Solondz, Elia Suleiman, and Jane Birkin.

Source: Official festival website http://film.iksv.org/en

İstanbul, a cultural center of the east and west, hosts many local and international festivals every year. Some of the most well-known festivals are International İstanbul Film Festival, Theatre Festival, Music Festival, Jazz Festival, Efes Pilsen Blues Festival, İstanbul Poetry Festival…

• International İstanbul Short Film Festival www.istanbulfilmfestival.com
• International İstanbul Tango Festival www.istanbultangofestival.com
• International İstanbul Poetry Festival www.istanbulsiirfestivali.org
• International İstanbul Film Festival www.iksv.org/film/
• International İstanbul Music Festival www.iksv.org/muzik/
• International İstanbul Biennial www.iksv.org/bienal11/
• International İstanbul Independent Films Festival 2009.ifistanbul.com
• International İstanbul Jazz Festival www.iksv.org/caz/
• International İstanbul Architecture and Urban Films Festival www.archfilmfest.org
• International İstanbul Theatre Festival www.iksv.org/tiyatro/
• International İstanbul Animation Festival www.iafistanbul.com
• International İstanbul Children’s Film Festival www.iicff.com
• International İstanbul Gastroomy Festival www.istanbulgastronomyfestival.com
• International İstanbul Ülker Puppet Festival www.ulkerkuklafestivali.com
• International İstanbul Balloon Festival www.iibfestival.org
• International İstanbul Cartoon Festival
• International İstanbul Contemporary Dance & Performance Festival www.idans.info
• International İstanbul Documentary Films Festival www.1001belgesel.net
• Videoist Festival www.videoist.org
• Filmmor Women’s Films Festival www.filmmor.org
• Akbank Jazz Festival www.akbanksanat.com
• Efes Pilsen Blues Festival www.efesblues.com
• Efes Pilsen One Love Festival www.efespilsenonelove.com
• İstanbul Architecture Festival www.mimarlikfestivali.com
• İstanbul Rock Festival www.istanbulrockfestivali.com
• Barışarock Rock Festival www.barisarock.org
• Rockncoke Rock Festival www.rockncoke.com
• Unirock Open Air Festival www.unirockfest.com
• İstanbul Young Photographers Festival www.ifsak.org
• İstanbul Photograph Days www.ifsak.org
• Pera Piano / Guitar / Flamenco Festival www.perasanat.com.tr

Turkish Delight, Istanbul Belly Dance Festival

Join us at Turkish Delight Festival Featuring the best of Turkey’s professional dancers with the best of Middle Eastern Dancers and amazing Masters from around the world Breathtaking entertainment, dance parties every night, Master Class workshops Join us on the open stage dance night!

29 April – 3 May 2010

www.turkishdelightfestival.com

“Hıdrellez”, is one of the seasonal festivals of all Turkish world which is celebrated as the first day of the “early summer”. It is also “day of Hızır”, the day on which prophets Hızır and Ilyas met with each other on earth. The words Hızır and İlyas have since fused together pronounced as Hıdrellez. Hıdrellez Day falls on May 5-6. There are various theories about the origin of Hızır and Hıdrellez. Various ceremonies and rituals have been performed for various gods with the arrival of spring or summer in Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Iran, Greece and in fact all eastern Mediterranean countries since ancient times. One widespread belief suggests that Hızır is a prophet who has attained immortality by drinking the water of life (ab-ı hayat), and who has reached God, and wanders around among people from time to time, especially in the spring, and helps people in difficulty and distributes plenty and health. The identity of Hızır, the place and the time he lived in are not certain. Hızır is the symbol of spring, and the new life which emerges with it. In Turkey, where belief in Hızır is widespread, the characteristics attributed to him are as follows:

• Hızır rushes to the aid of people in difficulty and grants peoples’ wishes.
• He always helps well-meaning, benevolent people.
• He brings plenty and wealth wherever he stops.
• He brings remedies to those who are troubled and health to the sick.
• He helps plants to grow, animals to reproduce, and human beings to grow strong.
• He helps improve peoples’ fortune.
• He is the symbol of good omens.
• He has the God-given power of working miracles.

Hıdrellez Festival, which is still celebrated with grand ceremonies in Anatolia, has been celebrated since ancient times. Although it is celebrated under different names and in different times, it is possible to see the motifs of Hıdrellez in many places. The arrival of spring and awakening of nature have been perceived by mankind as a phenomenon to be celebrated. In fact, Hıdrellez, as a spring festival, has a universal character.

Source: www.hidrellez.org

İstanbul Shopping Fest (İSF) is an annual festival that will enable İstanbul to become the shopping, culture and entertainment center of the world, realized under the auspices of Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Governorship of İstanbul, with the support of İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM); and coordinated by Council of Shopping Centers (AYD), Trade Council of Shopping Centers & Retailers (AMPD) and United Brands Association (BMD).

This massive organization, which will take place between March 18 and April 26 will be revealing all the lively colors of İstanbul through joyous occasions, history, delight and entertainment.

İstanbul Shopping Fest will be hosting thousands of visitors from all around the world. Aside from the opening and closing events, there are many activities planned at shopping malls and stores, which will stay open till late hours. The festival’s glamorous spirit will take over shopping malls as well as the high streets of İstanbul; Abdi İpekçi, İstiklal and Bağdat Streets. The entertainment will continue for 40 days with street festivals, concerts, shows, games for kids, parties, contests and fashion shows. The opportunities are not limited to these as those in İstanbul during the festival have the chance to shop from the newest collections at discounted prices. On top of that, during long shopping nights, it will be possible to shop till 02.00am and enjoy İstanbul at its most fabulous self.

With surprise sweepstakes and contents via text messages to win gifts, the organization will make shopping more exciting than ever for both local and foreign shoppers. For tourists the excitement is doubled as they will have the privilege of tax-free shopping up to 30%, hence making İstanbul more and more appealing.

The aim is to attract 1,5 million tourists to İstanbul by the İstanbul Shopping Fest 2015 while contributing to the İstanbul’s 10-million- tourist-goal in 2015.

Don’t forget to follow the event schedule for special opportunities and entertaining activities.

Source: Official web site

Web site: www.istanbulshoppingfest.org/en/