The 6th Korkut Ata Turkic World Film Festival Kicks Off On November 3
Taking place on November 3–7, 2026, the 6th Korkut Ata Turkic World Film Festival will bring the cinema of the Turkic world to Istanbul with a selection of 56 films, international guests, competitions, and industry and academic events. With the Turkic World Cinema Summit and a project pitching event offering support for new projects, the festival will also contribute to the development of international co-productions. All film screenings will be free of charge.
Held under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and organized by the International Cinema Association, the festival returns to its birthplace, Istanbul, for its sixth edition. Having started in Istanbul in 2021 and continued in Bursa, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan, the festival will once again bring together filmmakers from across the Turkic world. This year, more than 150 international guests from 10 countries and 10 autonomous republics, along with 300 film industry professionals and academics, will gather in Istanbul.
56 Films, Three Competition Categories
Featuring stories from diverse geographies of the Turkic world, the festival's selection comprises 56 films. A total of 30 films, with ten entries each in the Feature Fiction, Documentary, and Short Film categories, will compete for awards before international juries. The programme will also feature screenings under the Contemporary Human Stories, Historical Panorama, Turquoise Documentary Showcase, and Animation sections.
Opening Film: Aytmatov
The festival will open on November 3 with the Turkish premiere of the Kyrgyz film Aytmatov. Directed by Kanıbek Kalmatov, the biographical film tells the life story of the world-renowned writer Chinghiz Aitmatov.
New Opportunities for Co-Productions
The Turkic World Cinema Summit, to be held on November 4, will bring together cinema representatives from the region to explore co-production opportunities and international collaboration. The summit will address ways to transform the creative potential of the Turkic world into joint film projects.
The Türkiye–Kyrgyzstan Project Pitching Event, being organized for the first time as part of the festival, will take place on November 5. Filmmakers will present their projects to jury members from both countries. Four film projects will be selected to receive support, with the aim of strengthening co-production partnerships between Türkiye and Kyrgyzstan.
Bringing Academia and Technology Together Through Cinema
The International Korkut Ata Symposium on Cinema of the Turkic World, to be held for the first time on November 5 at Istanbul University Faculty of Communication, will explore the cinema of the Turkic world through academic research and scholarly perspectives.
On November 7, the panel titled “Artificial Intelligence in Cinema and the Digital Transformation of Ancient Narratives” will take place at Atlas Cinema. The panel will discuss new possibilities offered by artificial intelligence in filmmaking and the transformation of traditional narratives in the digital age.
The Festival Culminates in an Awards Ceremony
The festival will conclude on November 7 with a closing and awards ceremony at the Atatürk Cultural Center. In the Feature Fiction Competition, awards will be presented for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress, and Best Actor. The top three films in the Documentary and Short Film Competitions will also receive awards.
Free Screenings at Five Cinemas
All film screenings throughout the festival will be free of charge. Atlas Cinema, AKM Yeşilçam Cinema, Emek Cinema, Istanbul University Faculty of Communication Cinema Hall, and Istanbul Commerce University Sadabat Hall will welcome cinema audiences throughout the festival, from November 3 to 7.