First Arab Film Festival organized with the contribution of Turkey's diplomatic support and Yunus Emre Institute in Jerusalem, met with the Palestinians. The films within the scope of the festival were shown at Jerusalem Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Center for three days.

Palestinians gathered at the Jerusalem Arab Film Festival held for the first time with Turkey's diplomatic support. The festival, which took place between 25-29 March 2021 and showed 20 films, was supported by four cultural centers, including Jerusalem Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Center. The Consulate General of Spain and interested parties also provided financial support to the festival.

JERUSALEM YETKM BECOMES ONE OF THE CENTERS OF THE FESTIVAL

The opening of the festival was held on March 25, 2021 at the Palestinian National Theater (Al-Hakavati) in East Jerusalem. Some of the 20 films that met with Palestinians as part of the festival were screened at the Turkish Cultural Center. On the first day of the festival, the movie "For İbrahim" was presented to the audience for the first time, hosted by the Turkish Cultural Center. On Sunday, March 28, short films titled "Sefie Zain", "Last 5 hours", "My Mother", "In the Laboratory (In Vitro)" and on Monday, March 29, "Beirut: The Final Stop" were screened.

TURKISH FILMS WERE SCREENED

Jerusalem Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Center Director Reha Ermumcu stated that they were happy to host such an event. Noting that they participated in the film festivals held in Jerusalem and all over Palestine in the previous years with Turkish films, Ermumcu said, “But as the Cultural Center, we are participating in the Arab film festival for the first time in Jerusalem. Participating in the First Jerusalem Arab Film Festival has been a source of happiness for us, too. ” 

Emphasizing that the films of Palestinian origin and other Arab directors who are far from Jerusalem and Palestine have been screened at Jerusalem Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Center, Ermumcu said, “I hope that in the coming years we will have the opportunity to screen such films that reflect political, cultural and sociological situation that Jerusalem and Palestine have been through again.”

A USEFUL COOPERATION FOR JERUSALEM

Ermumcu said, “In the past years, we had both independent screenings of Turkish films in Jerusalem, we ensured that Turkish films took place in international film festivals, and we also organized Turkish Film Festivals directly.

This time, we have only hosted the first time. But in any case, we think that this collaboration between institutions is beneficial for our visibility in Jerusalem. " .

ATTRACTED ATTENTION

Ermumcu noted that they are also pleased with the interest shown by the people of Jerusalem to the festival.

20 FILMS FROM EGYPT TO LEBANON

Twenty films from Palestine, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia and Lebanon participated in the First Jerusalem Arab Film Festival held in East Jerusalem between 25-29 March.