The winning projects of Film Forum, the cinema support platform of the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, have been announced. The awards were presented to their recipients at a ceremony held on Tuesday, 27 October.
Held as part of the 63rd International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, Film Forum concluded with an awards ceremony following a packed programme.
Bringing together Turkish and international film professionals for two days of presentations and industry talks, Film Forum provided a total of TRY 1.45 million in support for cinema this year.
As part of Film Forum, TRY 450,000 was awarded through the Feature-Length Fiction Film Pitching Platform, while TRY 250,000 each was awarded through the First Feature-Length Fiction Film Pitching Platform, the Sümer Tilmaç Antalya Script Development Fund Pitching Platform, the Work in Progress Fiction Film Platform and the Work in Progress Documentary Film Platform.
The finalist projects, selected from among 269 projects at the development and production stages, were evaluated by juries comprising industry experts. With Film Forum’s support, the next generation of Turkish cinema productions have now begun their journey.
According to the evaluation by the Work in Progress jury, comprising Ali Vatansever, Anja Strelec and Miljenka Čogelja, the First Feature Film Development Platform Award went to Kader Kaya for “Tanrının Yükü” (“The Burden of God”). The jury explained its decision as follows:
“We are presenting the award to ‘Tanrının Yükü’ for its aim of bringing an autobiographical story, told from an intimate and authentic perspective about an experience that has yet to receive sufficient visibility in our cinema, together with the expressive freedom of essay filmmaking. The film seeks to portray a woman’s struggle to be herself beyond stereotypical representations, transforming the fragmented nature of memory into a distinctive cinematic experience through archival footage and sound design.”
Director and screenwriter Kader Kaya, who received the award from jury member Melik Saraçoğlu, shared her feelings: “I would like to thank our producer Çiğdem and Ömür hocam. It will be a great pleasure to portray a female character in cinema—especially a woman who wears a headscarf—with a multifaceted identity and in a colourful way.”
The Feature-Length Fiction Film Pitching Platform Award went to “Yağmur,” directed by Atıl İnaç and produced by Derya Tarım. Jury member Derya Yanmış explained the decision, saying the award recognised “the bold narrative that brings together the different roles a woman chooses to take on—or is compelled to assume—and its inclination towards experimental cinema.”
The Work in Progress Documentary Film Platform Award went to “İsmigül.” According to the jury, the project deserved the award for “successfully portraying the complex dynamics, communication gaps and misunderstandings between the characters and their friends.” Jury member Anja Strelec presented the awards to director Yağmur Telli Yücel and producer Şule Barman.
In the fiction category of the same platform, the award went to “İskeletin Türküsü,” to be written and directed by Murat Uğurlu and produced by Ilgım Coşar. Jury member Miljenka Čogelja explained the decision as follows:
“Alongside the director’s distinctive artistic vision, strong cinematic language and thoughtful creative approach, the project’s transparent and realistic financial plan clearly demonstrates its considerable potential.”
Director Murat Uğurlu accepted the award, saying: “I was 21 when I came here with my first short film 16 years ago. After many hardships and adventures, I’m here again. Thank you all.”
The jury of the Sümer Tilmaç Antalya Script Development Fund Pitching Platform, comprising Derya Yanmış, Levent Kazak and Melik Saraçoğlu, selected “Düş Kapanı.” In its statement, the jury said the project deserved the award for “its character who challenges prejudice, and for telling—with humour and adventure—the story of a woman caught between anxieties, fears and family responsibilities who, despite all difficulties, befriends a visually impaired person who embraces life to the fullest, leaves her comfort zone and discovers her own courage.”
Film Forum’s Green Awards
The Yeşil Setler Mümkün (Green Sets Are Possible, YSM) awards, introduced this year in collaboration with the Yeşil Setler Mümkün Initiative, were also presented at the ceremony. Yeşim Girgin, YSM General Coordinator and jury member, said: “As the Yeşil Setler Mümkün team, we believe cinema can contribute to a sustainable future not only through the stories it tells, but also through the way those stories are produced. In recognition of the film’s approach to treating sustainable filmmaking not as a practice separate from the creative process, but as an integral part of production planning and methods, we would like to present the Green Production Award to ‘Cennetin Çiçekleri.’”
Accepting the award, director Metin Kuru said: “I’m very happy that Antalya is the first stop on the international journey of ‘Cennetin Çiçekleri.’ The film is an inquiry into justice emerging from the Turkish landscape.”
The Climate-Conscious Story Award, presented for the first time as part of Film Forum, went to the project “Sisler Krallığı.” Director Aslı Akdağ said the project explores, through the eyes of children, what might happen in a world shaped entirely by men. Büşra Coşkun, from the production team, expressed her thanks, saying: “It means a great deal to receive an award for this reason.”
Film Forum 2026 Awards
Feature-Length Fiction Film Pitching Platform
- Yağmur (Director/Screenwriter: Atıl İnaç; Producer: Derya Tarım)
First Feature-Length Fiction Film Pitching Platform
- Tanrının Yükü (Director/Screenwriter: Kader Kaya)
Sümer Tilmaç Antalya Script Development Fund Pitching Platform
- Düş Kapanı (Director/Screenwriter: İffet Eren Danışman Boz; Producer: Eyüp Boz)
Work in Progress Fiction Film Platform
- İskeletin Türküsü (Director/Screenwriter: Murat Uğurlu; Producer: Ilgım Coşar)
Work in Progress Documentary Film Platform
- İsmigül (Director/Screenwriter: Yağmur Telli Yücel; Producer: Şule Barman)
Yeşil Setler Mümkün (YSM) Awards
Green Production Award – Cennetin Çiçekleri (Director/Screenwriter: Metin Kuru; Producer: Metin Kuru)
Climate-Conscious Story Award – Sisler Krallığı (Director/Screenwriter: Aslı Akdağ; Producer: Banu Sıvacı)
