The documentary ‘Bakur’ caused no end of controversy at this year’s International Film Festival in Istanbul.
The screening of the film was cancelled just hours before it was set to roll.
Festival organisers received notification from the Turkish Ministry of Culture claiming the film lacked the required registration certificate.
The festival refused to pay a necessary fine to the Turkish Ministry of Culture.
The film was pulled, the jury members refused to take part and filmmakers withdrew their offerings.
As a result the 34th Istanbul Film Festival was cancelled.
‘Bakur’ (The North), follows the movements of fighters of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
The documentary is set in the mountains of Turkish Kurdistan at a time when the Turkish government and the PKK are engaged in an ongoing peace process.
The film gives a rare insight into the motivation behind the individuals involved.
The filmmaker had to gain the trust of his subjects at a particularly sensitive tim
