Ministry of Culture Withdraws Support From Flying Broom Film Festival
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The financial support provided by the Ministry of Culture to the Flying Broom International Women's Film Festival has been withdrawn for the first time in twenty years.
In the statement signed by the Cinema Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Culture Erkin Yılmaz, it has been stated,
"Your request of support for the 21st Flying Broom International Women's Film Festival was put on the agenda and evaluated by the Commission for Supporting Cinema. Your request has not been deemed appropriate as per the decision of the commission numbered 2018/3."
The Flying Broom has made a written statement, denouncing the decision of the Ministry of Culture:
"This festival will continue not for the next 21 or 51 years, but for the next 61 years despite all preventions, all types of pressures and constraints. It is not possible to understand why the festival, which has been supported for 20 years, has been deemed inappropriate, after the festival came to an end and, on top of that, after the logos of the ministry were used on all printed and visual materials from the billboards to leaflets and it appeared both in Turkey and in the world that the festival was held with the support of the ministry. We demand a justified decision from the ministry."
62 films were screened in the 21st year
The 21st Flying Broom International Women's Film Festival was held from May 10 to May 17. During the festival, 62 films were screened and 17 events were held in eight different places. The first woman Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark was also among the guests of the festival.
The Flying Broom International Women's Film Festival, which makes the labor of women in cinema visible, hosts the women filmmakers who have a say both in the domestic and international arena, supports the works of young filmmakers and whose international film anthology is rewarded by the jury of FIPRESCI each year, received the financial support of the Ministry of Culture for the last 20 years. (ÇT/SD)