Hosted by Amed Metropolitan Municipality and organized by the Middle East Cinema Academy and Sinebîr, the 3rd Amed International Film Festival began with the slogan ‘The world comes together through stories.’ Held at the Çand Amed Congress Center, the festival welcomed many artists, co-mayors of provincial and district municipalities, representatives of political parties and civil society organizations, and hundreds of participants. The festival was dedicated to the Peace and Democratic Society Process.
Within the scope of the festival, an exhibition inspired by Yılmaz Güney’s film “Rê/Yol” was opened first. In the exhibition, prepared based on the book “Yol – An Exile Story” by filmmaker Edi Hubsmidt, 16 artists produced works in different disciplines, such as photography, video, and painting based on the imagery created by the film. Visuals from the film and photographs from Hubsmidt’s book were also included in the exhibition. Curators Mahmut Wenda Koyuncu and Remzi Sever stated that they wanted to carry Yılmaz Güney’s legacy into the future. The exhibition can be visited until the last day of the festival.
After the exhibition, during the concert, Sipan Dağdeviren from the Middle East Cinema Academy emphasized that the festival brings together the world’s stories and referred to Yılmaz Güney’s words, “We will surely win.” Amed Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayors Serra Bucak and Doğan Hatun said that the festival is a journey that brings together different languages and cultures.
The concert featuring artists from Rojhilat, Alî Akbar Moradî and Aziz Kangarlu, was enthusiastically received by the audience. Afterward, the KASED Govend Group presented a halay performance from the Riha region.
As part of the festival, the documentary “Kardeş Türküler,” directed by Çayan Demirel and Ayşe Çetinbaş, was also screened. The documentary covers a 30-year musical and political journey, as well as recent social events such as the Cizîr Newroz, the Madımak Massacre, the murder of Hrant Dink, the Gezi Resistance, the Suruç and Ankara massacres, and the February 6 earthquakes.
The festival will continue with various events until 14 December.