Short films to vie in International Amity Festival determined
The poster of the 5th Red Crescent International Amity Short Film Festival. (Photo courtesy of Red Crescent)


The productions set to vie in the Red Crescent International Amity Short Film Festival were announced on Tuesday.

The theme of the fifth edition has been dedicated to the esteemed artist Neşet Ertaş.

The details regarding the event were announced by the president of the Red Crescent and honorary president of the festival Kerem Kınık, festival President Faysal Soysal, festival general art director Mehmet Lutfi Şen and jury member, actor Hande Soral.

"We are all trying to do something to add value to Ertaş's humanitarian character and to protect his legacy. Therefore, it opens a window in art, making it universal. Art makes us feel that different realities can exist, to rethink, empathize and see the aspects of the human being that we may not even think of," Kınık said.

Stating they have a team that has been working hard for six months, Soysal said: "I would like to thank my teammates. We want to commemorate amity with our artists who blended it in Anatolian lands and delivered it to the world in universal forms. On this occasion, we aim to eternize the memory of Neşet Ertaş, who took over the legacy of Turkish-Muslim mystic and philosopher Hacı Bektaş Veli, reflecting it through the love of humanity."

Festival general art director Mehmet Lutfi Şen added: "The festival was born from the leaven of amity rooted in Anatolia, this concept brought us together with the Red Crescent in the first place. There is an incredible leaven of friendship in Anatolia, but this trend is getting worn out and humanity is not going to a better place. Developing technology has evolved into a vortex that will bring humanity's self-destruction. For this reason, we continue to dedicate our festival to prominent poets and intellectuals of Anatolia every year."

Honorary awards will be given to legendary artists of Yeşilçam cinema Ayla Algan and Yusuf Sezgin as part of the event.