🔴 The FilmAmed (@belgefilmamed) Documentary Film Festival, returning after a three-year hiatus, aims to showcase documentary films in the face of various challenges, including political pressures.#DocumentaryFilm – #PoliticalPressure – #FilmAmedhttps://t.co/VVqrKEyxfs pic.twitter.com/2cA3ezeMOS
— MedyaNews (@1MedyaNews) September 28, 2023
An opening ceremony at the Amed City Theatre in Diyarbakır (Amed) marked the commencement of the FilmAmed Documentary Film Festival on Wednesday. The festival, returning after a three-year hiatus, aims to showcase documentary films in the face of various challenges, including political pressures.
The ceremony was attended by Meral Danış Beştaş, an MP from the pro-Kurdish Green Left Party, and Saliha Aydeniz, co-chair of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP). The venue was filled to capacity, leading some attendees to stand.
“Artistic activities will persist despite political interference and venue seizures,” stated Ardin Diren, the opening speaker. “Documentary films serve as the memory of society. FilmAmed stands against censorship and plunder,” highlighted Metin Ewr, a director and volunteer at the Middle East Cinema Academy.
Meral Danış Beştaş added, “We will not abandon our culture or cinema despite these challenges”, and noted the festival’s focus on films by 13 women filmmakers.
The festival is set to run until 1 October and will feature a total of 30 films. Following the screening of the opening film “Mother Tongue” (Zimanê Dayîkê), Saliha Aydeniz presented a plaque to the director, Sarkew Mesgarî.