Bosphorus Film Festival opens in Istanbul with over 60 films

The 14th Bosphorus Film Festival opened on Sunday in Istanbul, starting a week of screenings, competitions and special events, Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu Agency reported.

The opening screening took place at the historic Atlas Cinema, where the festival showed "Diva: Umm Kulthum," a biographical film about the Egyptian singer.

The Bosphorus Culture and Arts Foundation organizes the festival with support from the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry, and it will show more than 60 films through Nov. 15.

The lineup includes feature films, documentaries and short films from Türkiye and abroad.

Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi, known for the Oscar-nominated film "Children of Heaven," chairs the jury for the international feature film competition.

Speaking to Anadolu, Majidi said film festivals remain important as digital streaming services grow, because they help keep cinema alive and bring filmmakers and audiences together.

He said gatherings of different ideas and cultures make a major contribution to world cinema.

The special screenings include Majidi's film "Sun Children" and films that explore the experiences of Palestinians in Gaza.

Majidi is scheduled to hold a masterclass on Monday, while the program also features screenwriting workshops and panel discussions.

Festival films will be shown at several venues across Istanbul until Nov. 15, and the full program is available on the festival's website.

Bosphorus has hosted film events in Istanbul for many years, and the city's cinemas regularly host international festivals that draw filmmakers from across the world.

Anadolu is the festival's global communication partner.