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| Türkiye Sinema ve Audiovisual Kültür Vakfı | |
|---|---|
| Name | Türkiye Sinema ve Audiovisual Kültür Vakfı |
| Native name | Türkiye Sinema ve Audiovisual Kültür Vakfı |
| Formation | 2000s |
| Type | non-governmental organization |
| Headquarters | İstanbul |
| Region served | Türkiye |
Türkiye Sinema ve Audiovisual Kültür Vakfı is a Turkish non-profit cultural foundation focused on film, audiovisual heritage, and cultural policy in Türkiye. The foundation engages with film festivals, preservation projects, education initiatives, and industry networks across İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir, and other cultural centers. It interacts with international organizations, national institutions, and independent practitioners to promote Turkish cinema and audiovisual culture.
The foundation was established in the early 2000s amid debates that involved figures associated with the Istanbul Film Festival, Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, Ankara International Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, and institutions such as the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Turkey), İstanbul Modern, SALT (institution), Istanbul Biennial, European Film Academy, and UNESCO. Its formation drew on precedents including the National Film Preservation Foundation, British Film Institute, Cinémathèque Française, Museum of Modern Art, and initiatives by filmmakers linked to Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Yılmaz Güney, Fatih Akın, Zeki Demirkubuz, and Yesim Ustaoglu. Early collaborations involved archives like the German Film Archive, Cinémathèque de Toulouse, British Film Institute National Archive, Library of Congress, and collections associated with Orhan Pamuk, İhsan Oktay Anar, and other cultural figures. The foundation's archival programs referenced standards promoted by International Federation of Film Archives and funding models similar to those of European Capital of Culture, Creative Europe, and bilateral cultural agreements with France, Germany, United Kingdom, and United States.
The foundation's stated mission aligns with preservation initiatives comparable to the National Film Preservation Board, promotion efforts seen in the European Film Academy, and education programs resembling those of the New York Film Academy, FIAF, and UNESCO Memory of the World. Activities include film restoration in partnership with laboratories like Highland Film Group, technical collaborations with equipment manufacturers such as ARRI, Panavision, and post-production houses akin to Technicolor, and curatorial projects referencing the programming models of MoMA, Tate Modern, and Centre Pompidou. It offers training modeled on curricula from Le Fresnoy, FAMU, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and La Fémis, and runs mentorship schemes similar to Sundance Institute and Berlinale Talents. The foundation engages in policy dialogue with bodies like European Commission, Council of Europe, MPEG, and WIPO concerning audiovisual heritage, rights, and digitization.
The governance structure mirrors non-profit frameworks used by European Cultural Foundation, Princeton University Press (board model), and foundations like Rockefeller Foundation and Ford Foundation with a board of trustees, executive director, program directors, and advisory committees. Staff include curators, conservators, legal counsels experienced with Turkish Penal Code implications for cultural work, rights managers versed in Berne Convention and Rome Convention (1961), archivists trained in ISO 19005 (PDF/A) practices, and technicians following DCP and SMPTE standards. Advisory bodies have included artists and scholars associated with Akbank Sanat, Istanbul University, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Boğaziçi University, Bilkent University, Sabancı University, and practitioners from studios connected to Yeşim Ustaoglu and Reha Erdem.
Funding streams combine private philanthropy patterned after the Sakıp Sabancı Foundation and Vehbi Koç Foundation, corporate sponsorships similar to arrangements with Turkcell, Garanti BBVA, Zorlu Holding, and international grants from programs like Creative Europe, EU Enlargement, UNESCO, Erasmus+, Open Society Foundations, and bilateral cultural diplomacy with missions such as the French Institute (IF), Goethe-Institut, British Council, and US Embassy in Ankara. Partnerships include collaborations with media companies like TRT, Doğan Media Group, MedyaTV, and streaming platforms comparable to Netflix and MUBI, plus technical alliances with film laboratories and vendors such as Deluxe Entertainment Services Group and Dolby Laboratories.
The foundation organizes restoration projects of classic Turkish films associated with directors like Lütfi Ö. Akad, Atıf Yılmaz, Metin Erksan, Yavuz Özkan, and Halit Refiğ; retrospectives comparable to programs at BFI Southbank, and curated seasons for institutions including Istanbul Modern, Beyoğlu Culture and Art Center (AKM), and international festivals like Venice Film Festival and Locarno Festival. It conducts training workshops inspired by Sundance Labs and networking forums similar to European Film Market, hosts awards modeled on Golden Bear and Palme d'Or ceremonies, and runs outreach projects for regional cinemas of Southeast Anatolia, Aegean Region, and Black Sea Region in partnership with local bodies like İzmir International Film Festival and Adana Film Festival. The foundation's publications emulate academic outlets such as Sight & Sound and Cahiers du Cinéma and produce catalogues of restored works in the style of Criterion Collection.
Supporters cite contributions to preserving film heritage linked to figures like Turgut Demirağ, Kemal Sunal, Türkan Şoray, Cahit Berkay, and influence on policy dialogues with Türkiye Film Endüstrisi stakeholders and cultural ministries. Critics point to debates over curatorial choices echoing controversies seen with Biennale di Venezia selections, funding transparency comparable to disputes at National Endowment for the Arts (USA), perceived commercial partnerships resembling tensions with Netflix and conflicts over copyright management akin to cases before European Court of Human Rights and Court of Justice of the European Union. Discussions continue involving filmmakers, archives, unions like Türkiye Sinema Emekçileri Sendikası, media outlets such as Hürriyet, Cumhuriyet, and academic commentators from Istanbul Bilgi University, Koç University, and Hacettepe University regarding the foundation's role.
Category:Film organizations in Turkey Category:Cultural organizations based in Istanbul