The Golden Island International Film Festival will commence with a gala night organized at Girne American University (GAU) on 6^th November. The festival’s opening gala film has been announced to be Derviş Zaim’s ‘Balık/Fish’.

The Golden Island International Film Festival, in partnership with Creditwest Bank, which runs from Thursday 6^th to Thursday 13th November, has revealed the exciting program with a press conference.

Over the course of 7 days and nights, the festival will screen over 50 features, documentaries and shorts across 5 different venues.

The festival will hold a competition in "Cyprus Cinema" strand. "Best Short Fiction Film", "Best Documentary" and 2 "Promising Filmmakers" categories and prizes will be given.

The Festival venues include: Lemar Girne, Lemar Kaymaklı, Lemar Mağusa, East Mediterranean Unviersity, Goethe Institute, Home for Cooperation, Le Chateau Lambousa and Girne American University.

Ticket prices are 10TL for adults and 5TL for students. “Short documentary” and “short fiction” films within the “Cyprus Cinema” strand as well as the “International Short” film screenings are free to attend.  Tickets can be bought at any one of Lemar cinema venues.

The patronage of the festival organized by the Balık Arts which operates in the UK and the Golden Island Culture and Art Association in Cyprus will be by Baroness Meral Hussein-Ece who has an Order of the British Empire and the actor Tamer Hassan.

The festival sponsored by Creditwest Bank, co-sponsored by GAU, is communication sponsored by North Cyprus Turkcell and media partnered by BRT and Kıbrıs Newspaper.

Other institutions that have contributed to the festival are: Independent Film Trust, Raindance Film Festival, East Anglia University (Movie Department), Home for Cooperation, Movies that Matter Film Festival, Detmold International Short Film Festival, Datça International Short Film Festival, Turkish Cypriot Community Association and Youth Power Cyprus.

GÜZELPINAR

The Golden Island International Film Festival Director - Yeşim Güzelpınar stated that the festival which will have a gala with Derviş Zaim’s Fish/Balık on November 6th, is to be held between 7^th and 13^th November 2014.

Güzelpınar remarked that Erdal Özyağcılar, Demet Akbağ and Derviş Zaim will be presented with honours awards at the festival and expressed that there will be international participation in the festival, but the event will still be an indispensable part of Cyprus cinema.

Güzelpınar stated that a group of 25 people from England will participate in the documentary workshop in the scope of the film festival and attend to the festival voluntarily.

Güzelpınar who reminded that the festival award ceremony is to be held on 13^th November,  thanked the sponsors.

OTHER SPEECHES

Festival main sponsor - General Manager of Creditwest Bank - Süleyman Erol pointed out the economic benefits that film festivals bring to their countries in his speech at the press conference.

Erol who stated that the Golden Island International Film Festival will contribute significantly to the publicity of TRNC, expressed that artists will come to the country to attend the festival.

Erol, thanked everyone who contributed to the festival.

The Gala Night is to held at GAU on 6^th November.

Festival Co-sponsor, GAU Secretary General - Sualp Davut expressed that the country needs these kind of festivals. Davut who called out to the entrepreneurs, stated that the gala night is to be held on 6^th November at 19:00 at GAU, and will be free to enter.

One of the festival partners, Group Manager of Lemar Cineplex Cinemas - Ibrahim Nuralış stated that Lemar is ready for the festival with all of its venues. Nuralış expressed his satisfaction with the organization of the festival.

The Festival Jury and the President of the Independent Film Trust - Neil Mccartney congratulated the people who organized the event. Mccartney stated that the festival was organized successfully.