Altın Portakal film festival announces international competition bill

Directors and cast members of the competition titles are expected in Antalya to promote their films during their Altın Portakal galas, the Antalya Foundation for Culture and Art (AKSAV), which has been organizing the festival since its 2009 edition, said in a written statement on Thursday.

The 10 films in competition include “Death of a Man in the Balkans,” directed by Serbian filmmaker Miroslav Momcilovic; “The Convoy,” by Russia’s Alexey Mizgirev; “Inheritance,” which marks the directorial debut of Israeli actor Hiam Abbas; and “Somewhere in Palilula,” by Romanian director Silviu Purcarete. Turkey’s Erdal Rahmi Hanay also joins in the race with his “Saba.” Hungarian director Krisztina Deak’s most recent effort “Aglaya,” Iranian Khosro Masoumi’s “Bear,” Polish filmmaker Maciej Zak’s “Supermarket,” Georgian director Rusudan Chkonia’s debut feature “Keep Smiling” and German-born director Emily Atef’s third feature “Kill Me” round out the bill.

The international competition jury at this year’s Altın Portakal festival will be headed by Hungarian auteur István Szabó. The six-member panel will also include French film producer Claudie Ossard (“Amelie,” “Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky”); Jacques van Heijningen, the director of the Rotterdam Media Fund; Turkish actress Belçim Bilgin, actor and talk show host Cem Özer, and Polish film critic and International Federation of Film Critics member Barbara Hollender.

The 49th Altın Portakal International Film Festival will run from Oct. 6-12 in the Mediterranean province of Antalya with “Humor, Opposition and Democracy” as its main theme.

The winners of the international feature film competition will be announced during the festival’s closing gala on the night of Oct. 12.