A unique film festival started on the icy surface of Turkey’s frozen Lake Çıldır, located in eastern Ardahan and Kars provinces, accompanied by scenic views on March 3. As part of the Snow Screen Film Festival, which will run until March 7, various movies are being played on a white screen built entirely of snow on the lake.
Organized by the Association of Film Directors, the Snow Screen Film Festival was launched with the screening of the movie “İnat Hikayeleri” (“Tales of Intransigence”), which stars late actor Tuncel Kurtiz. As it is the first edition of the festival, the screening selection has been specially prepared with movies that were filmed in Çıldır, Ardahan and Kars regions. The festival, which goes on like a gala every day, is also enriched with the addition of traditional cultural activities. In the upcoming years, it will be organized as an event that accepts international participation and where awards are presented.
In the festival, a screening of a film takes place every evening alternately on two snow screens set up on Lake Çıldır and in the center of Ardahan. Among the movies to be screened are Zeki Demirkubuz’s “Kader” (“Destiny”), Murat Saraçoğlu’s “Deli Deli Olma” (“Piano Girl”), Faruk Hacıhafızoğlu’s “Kar Korsanları” (“Snow Pirates”), Atalay Taşdiken’s “Kar Kırmızı” (“Red Snow”), Rıza Sönmez’s “Orhan Pamuğa Söylemeyin Kars’ta Çektiğim Filmde Kar Romanı da Var” (“Don't Tell Orhan Pamuk That His Novel Snow Is In The Fılm I Made About Kars”), Mustafa Karadeniz’s “Çınar” (“Planetree”) and “Kars Hikayeleri” (“Tales from Kars”) by the directors of Ankara Cinema Association. In the daytime sessions, documentary screenings and interviews are held in closed halls in Çıldır and Ardahan region.
The festival also aims to increase the awareness of the local culture and contribute to the promotion of regional cultural richness. Therefore, it has included side events in addition to movie screenings that are held with the participation of the director and actor, like walking marathons on the frozen lake.
The festival, which is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, General Directorate of Cinema and TRT – the national public broadcaster of Turkey – is organized with the logistics contributions of Ardahan Municipality, Çıldır Municipality and Serhat Development Agency (SERKA).
