Hosting prominent figures from the world of detective novels, the "4th Black Week Istanbul Festival" will be held from Nov. 23-24. Organized with the main sponsorship of Deniz Bank, Black Week Istanbul's theme for this year is "Mike Hammer." Head of the festival committee Ahmet Ümit said, "I see this festival as a bench mark in terms of the space Turkish detective novels covered."

Giving a speech at the festival's publicity meeting held at Pera Palace Hotel, Ahmet Ümit noted that the festival came into existence not just with the contribution of the sponsors, but also with the contribution of all who write detective narratives and novels.

Stating that the festival is of great importance, Ümit added, "Years ago, when I wrote my novel "Sis ve Gece" ["Fog and the Night"] in 1996, detective novels were still accepted as second class literature in Turkey. The ones writing detective novels used to be undermined. Hence, I see this festival as a path that crime literature [has] covered in Turkey. Today, detective novels [have] proved their adequacy and we have so many precious writers producing crime literature."

Ümit underlined that the festival may also contribute to the promotion of Istanbul and wished that the event, similar to those all over the world, may turn into tradition.

'Thrillers are one of the keystones of literature'

Deniz Bank Culture and Arts Consultant Perihan Yücel also stated that they attach great of importance to culture and arts and added, "I know that as a genre, thrillers have a remarkable place in Turkish literature. Now we learn history as though we are having an appetizer or a zipped version in a colloquial manner. When you consume things in this way, they get more delicious and become faster to consume. In thrillers also, there is a fast moving excitement. The interest in reading must have started with thrillers for most of us. For this reason, I see thrillers as one of the keystones of literature."

This year's award to be given to Senay Haznedaroğlu

Adnan Özer, one of the committee members of the festival, said that Agatha Christie was the first year's theme and added, "In the following years, the focus was famous writer Simenon and Ian Fleming, who is among the popular figures of criminal literature and the creator of James Bond. Now, this year's figure is Mike Hammer."

Noting that criminal literature and cinema is hand in hand, Özer said, "Thrillers are fruitful in terms of frame-ups. Atilla Dorsay, who is a highly privileged figure interested both in thrillers and cinema, will be our guest at this year's festival. He will speak on criminal cinema and Mike Hammer at Deniz Bank's Head Office. The opening ceremony will be held on Nov. 19 and an prize will be given. As Black Week Istanbul, every year we grant the ones who contribute to Turkish Criminal Literature with awards. This year's prize will be presented to Senay Haznedaroğlu." In addition to world renowned criminal literature writers including Wolfang Schorlau and B.A. Paris, national writers Ahmet Ümit, Armağan Tunaboylu, Celil Oker, Erol Üyepazarcı, Sevin Okyay, Taner Ay, İskender Pala and the Turkish Crime Writers Association (Türkiye Polisiye Yazarlar Birliği) will attend the festival. Under the context of the festival, seven lectures will be given for free on subjects such as "Thriller in History and History in Thriller," "How to write a thriller?" and "Current Issues, Politics and Criminal."