The 14th Istanbul International 1001 Documentary Film Festival

The 14th Istanbul International 1001 Documentary Film Festival will be held between September 29 and October 3, 2011.
Since its inception, the Festival has hosted hundreds of films from Turkey and all over the world. Each year, documentary filmmakers and documentary cinema theoreticians have the opportunity to meet with the audience. The festival has created an atmosphere that allows different societies to know and understand each other through documentary films by utilizing the universal language of cinema. Now, once more, we are ready to meet and share our dreams and realities as documentary filmmakers in the “14th1001”.
The films to be screened at the International 1001 Documentary Film Festival are determined not just by the powerful styles used in the films, but also by the humanitarian values expressed. Defending the coexistence of different cultures, supporting values that contribute to the future of mankind, and presenting different points of view are the basic criteria taken into account.
7 Colors Of The Reality
Istanbul International 1001 Documentary Film Festival is going to present documentary films for its main screening program under the following 7 themes named by 7 colors.
Black – Stories about true life war, violence, social depression and the people who experienced, suffered or resisted these times
Red – The conditions of work and labor, workers and laborers in the world order
Orange – Modern day stories from close or far geography
Yellow – Migrating, being away from home
Blue – Ordinary stories about extraordinary people and extraordinary stories about ordinary people
Purple – Films on art, craft and culture
Green – Nature, human, cities… Films that struggle for a sustainable worldIn this year’s edition of the festival is also programming two different thematic sections: The theme of the 14th 1001 is “Confined Spaces / Confined Souls”. We also invite the documentary film for “Documentaries for Children” section which is planned to be sustained in the future editions of the festival.
Confined Spaces/ Confined Souls
The theme of this year’s festival is “Confined Spaces/ Confined Souls”.
Documentary cinema in its nature pursues the “confined spaces” we are curbed by the media exploiting our innate frailty to see and perceive. Documentary cinema looks behind the doors, under the stones, explores beyond the mountains, secret gardens and abysses, hunts in the attics, corners, here and there.
Our social environment in every aspect is narrowed more and more by rules, prohibitions, oppression and oblivion. The authorities use their governing power to keep life spaces under control. The individual is driven into a corner with all the splendor of modern life silenced, deceived and confined. With the confining spaces the souls are getting confined…
Documentary cinema bringing out the stark reality is like a life alteration guide for the confined souls stranded by creating social awareness and giving the urge to act. 1001 Documentary Film Festival in its 14th year gathers the stories of all the confined souls and the confined spaces of social life.
Documaentaries For Children
A new thematic section is launched in the 14th 1001 called “Documentaries for Children”. It is planned to be sustained in the following editions of the festival with extra activities like conferences and workshops. The films about any subject, made for children at 7 to 15 ages, to watch will be placed for this section not the ones about children.
Owing to the geographical location of Istanbul, the Festival is the only festival that is held on two continents. Organized in one of the oldest metropolises in the world, which is surrounded by frequent political, social or economicupheavals, the importance of the 14th International 1001 Documentary Film Festival is obvious. As in previous years, we believe in the significance of documentary filmmakers being present here with their films and their words, demonstrating the strength of documentary cinema. We summon the documentary filmmakers of the world for the fourteenth time: we believe that you will be here with us and with the audience who are waiting impatiently to see your films and hear your stories.
Hoping to meet again in the 14th1001!