The 6th EU Human Rights Short Film Competition announces the three winners
14/12/2016 Ankara
Press Release
The grand prize was awarded to Emin Akpınar’s film "Güney Kutbu" (South Pole), while the second prize was awarded to Vedat Oyan’s film "Mavera". Yeşim Tonbaz won the third place with her film "Askıda" (On Hold).
Speaking during the awards ceremony, the Head of the EU Delegation to Turkey, Ambassador H.E. Christian Berger, said: "Commemorating the 10 December Human Rights Day in arts and cinema across the globe is a powerful tool that reminds us all of the universal character of human rights and is a strong signal to those in need that they are not alone".
The 6th EU Human Rights Film Competition awards were announced during the gala ceremony held in Ankara. The Gala was hosted by the Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Turkey, Ambassador Christian Berger, and was attended by members of the diplomatic community, human rights activists, CSO representatives, media and numerous film enthusiasts. The 10 finalists of the competition participated and were honoured during the event.
Within the framework of the 6th EU Human Rights Film Days, "the Swedish Freedom of the Press Unfolded", commemorating the 250th anniversary of the press freedom in Sweden, was held. Ambassador of the Embassy of Sweden in Turkey, H.E. Lars Wahlund, said that press freedom was among the most fundamental human rights and that safeguarding them was more important than ever.
Jury members of the competition included Director Yüksel Aksu, Dean of Kadir Has University Faculty of Communication Prof. Dr. Sevda Alankuş, theatre and film actress Yelda Reynaud, journalist and author Kanat Atkaya, and radio producer and academic Yeşim Burul. In a speech he gave after awarding the grand prize, Yüksel Aksu recalled that his first short film had been about human rights and that this film had led to his first prison sentence. Prof. Sevda Alankuş said that the record level participation to the EU Human Rights Short Film Competition this year with 68 short films was an inspiration for the future in the name of human rights.
Jury members announced the three winners of the 6th EU Human Rights Short Film Days Competition, as follows: the grand prize to Emin Akpınar’s film "Güney Kutbu" (South Pole), the second prize to Vedat Oyan’s film "Mavera", and the third prize to Yeşim Tonbaz with her film "Askıda" (On Hold). The jury of the competition also presented the honourable mention to Nurbanu Asena’s film "Görünmez Duvarlarım" (My Invisible Walls). Vedat Oya, who spoke on behalf of the competition’s winners, said that filmmakers had to exercise vigilance when it came to the issue of human rights.
The grand prize winner of the competition was awarded a video camera and a camera lens, while the second prize winner was awarded with a video camera. The three winners will also be able to attend the Oberhausen International Short Film Competition that is held annually in Germany.
For more information: http://avrupa.info.tr/eu-and-human-rights/human-rights-film-days.html