The 8th International Women Directors Festival opened in Turkey’s western city of İzmir on Monday, with filmmakers and organisers denouncing gender-based exclusion from global cinema platforms and calling for greater visibility of women’s voices in the arts.
Held at İzmir Sanat in Kültürpark and running through 10 May, the festival received 475 submissions from 65 countries under the slogan ‘It’s Not As It Seems’. Events will take place at the French Cultural Centre and İzmir Sanat, featuring screenings and discussions that explore the challenges faced by women in film.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, festival director Gülten Taranç said, “It’s hard to survive in a country facing war, poverty, and inequality. We’re accused of being unfit for international reports simply because we’re women.” She criticised prominent global festivals for overlooking their work despite matching international standards, stating they share royalties among participants even without major funding.
Taranç emphasised that the festival does not exclude men, but focuses on films that empower women and promote equality. “This is not about isolation—it’s about visibility,” she said.
Sema Pekdaş, honorary chair of the Women Directors Association and a former mayor, noted that the festival had grown despite Turkey’s ongoing economic crisis and a climate of political instability. “In the wake of disasters, when culture and art are abandoned, we insisted on keeping this space alive,” she said.
Pekdaş criticised the Turkish government’s removal of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and attempts to reduce women’s roles to domestic spheres. “Women are more than caretakers. We’re here to break those limits,” she said.
The ceremony also paid tribute to the late Sırrı Süreyya Önder, a prominent leftist MP, film director, actor and screenwriter, with Pekdaş stating, “He showed us how art reshapes language and life.”
