Organized every year by the Istanbul Karagöz Puppet Foundation, the 20th International Istanbul Puppet Festival is taking place this year between Oct. 13 and Oct. 29. Cengiz Özek and the Theater Gülgeç and Açıkgöz puppeteering groups from Turkey will be attending the festival along with Thomas Eddle from Austria, Ruşen Yıldız from France, Toni Zafra, Ytuquepintas and El Gecko con Botas from Spain, Paolo Papparotti from Italy, Mikropodium from Hungary, Mao Mao from China, the Kaohsiung Shadow Theater from Thailand, Sovannaphum from Cambodia, Meta Zero from Russia, La Gorda Azul from Argentina, Karromato from the Czech Republic, Ornan Braier from Israel and the Krishnan Kutty Pulavar Memorial Tholpavakoothy Puppet Center from India.
Entering its 500th year, the Turkish Shadow Theater's "Karagöz Collection" of the Topkapı Palace Museum will also be available during the festival. Along with traditional examples of puppetry such as Kasperl and Karagöz, the festival will also host media theater, origami dance and mask theater as well as examples from shadow theater.
When: Oct. 13-29
Where: Various venues around Istanbul