The Antalya International Golden Orange Film Festival, one of Turkey’s longest-running film events, is set to take place from October 24 to 31, 2026. This year’s Young Achievement Award, presented as part of the festival, will go to 16-year-old actress Leyla Smyrna Cabas, who has drawn attention for her impressive performances despite being at the very beginning of her career.
Born in Istanbul in 2010 and fluent in Turkish, English, and German, young actress Leyla Smyrna Cabas—who has been honored with the Young Achievement Award at the 63rd International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival—made her film debut in “Fidan,” written, directed, and starring Ayçıl Yeltan, which won Best Editing and Best Supporting Actress awards at the 61st International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival. With this film, Cabas was honored with a Special Award at the Cinema D’iDEA Women’s Film Festival in Rome, alongside director Ayçıl Yeltan and her co-star Ayça Bingöl. She then portrayed the character Ezgi in “Yellow Letters” (Sarı Zarflar), directed by İlker Çatak and filmed in Hamburg and Berlin. Cabas garnered international attention for her performance in the film, which made its world premiere at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival and won the Golden Bear Award, establishing herself among the young actors who have made a name for themselves with their first feature films. Cabas, who has also received training in piano, guitar, and violin, is currently continuing her high school education in Istanbul.
The “Young Achievement Award” of the 63rd International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival will be presented at the festival’s opening ceremony on Saturday, October 24, 2026.