29th International Istanbul Film Festival will take place in April 3-18.

As Turkey's largest film activity, the International Istanbul Film Festival drew an audience of 162,000 last year. This year the programme is, once again, packed to the brim. The International Istanbul Film Festival sustains its leadership in Turkey with the quality and diversity of the films screened, and its wide coverage of the production of international film industry. This year, the Festival will host more than 200 films under 23 categories, screening new features from 2009 and 2010 along with unforgettable classics of film and selections from filmographies of master filmmakers. The festival will bring in a truly carnivalesque atmosphere to the city for two weeks with new categories, famous guests, workshops and panel discussions with masters of film, film seminars and parties...

At the press meeting of the 29th International Istanbul Film Festival that took place in Salon, the performance venue of the new IKSV building,
Murat Göllü, Head of the Corporate Communications Department representing the Festival Sponsor Akbank stated:

"Bringing together life with dreams for the last 29 years, İstanbul Film Festival is one of the most prestigious artistic events in Europe. We would like to congratulate İKSV for this success. We, as AKBANK, are glad to announce that we have decided to continue our support to this very important festival, for the following three years."

Can Fişek, from the Communications Directorate representing the Council of Europe for the FACE Council of Europe Film Award, which is given to a film in the Istanbul Film Festival section "Human Rights in Cinema" stated:

"The Council of Europe centres its efforts around the basic objective of improving human rights by sustaining the principles of democracy and rule of law. Moreover, the Council does not only regard film as an art from that disseminates ideas through narratives that engender laughter or tears, but also considers the art form as an important medium that contributes to raising individual awareness on certain issues, primarily on fundamental rights and freedoms. The Council of Europe Film Award FACE was founded with this principle in mind. The FACE Award will go to a work that examines successfully the theme of human rights and will be awarded for the fourth time at the International Istanbul Film Festival."

The 29th International Istanbul Film Festival will be inaugurated with an opening ceremony that will take place at the Lütfi Kırdar Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday evening April 2.