Opportunities offered by the London Turkish Film Festival are a sheer delight!

The London Turkish Film Festival (LTFF) was started by journalist and filmmaker Vedide Kaymak in 1993.

She remains its guiding light and has seen it grow from a small three-day event, intended exclusively for east London's Turkish population, to a full-scale, annual, two week Festival at cinemas throughout London that showcases the increasingly acclaimed and significant contribution of Turkey to world cinema.

In the last decade, Turkish filmmakers throughout the world have found new creative directions with critically acclaimed films that have won awards at major international festivals such as Berlin and Cannes.

The LTFF has reflected this success by creating a unique platform in the UK for a new and ever-increasing generation of filmmakers of Turkish origin both established and unknown. In 2009 the Festival introduced a major initiative to increase awareness of Turkish films in the UK: The Golden Wings Awards.

From a short list of the year's outstanding films, an international jury judges The Golden Wings Digital Distribution Award, the winner of which receives a contract that makes it possible for their work to be seen in cinemas across the UK, before being released on DVD. The Golden Wings People's Choice Award goes to the most popular film in the Festival, as voted for by ticket buyers.

The LTFF is also delighted to have the opportunity to introduce a great Turkish filmmaker to UK audiences. Be they actors, directors, producers, writers or technicians, the recipient is honoured for an outstanding career and receives the magnificent Golden Wings Lifetime Achievement trophy.

The 17th London Turkish Film Festival runs from November 24th to December 8th. Following the Opening Night Gala at the Odeon West End, which includes the presentation of the Golden Wings Digital and Lifetime Achievement Awards, the 2011 programme unrolls at the Rio Cinema Dalston (the Festival's original home), The Apollo Piccadilly Circus and the Cine Lumiere in South Kensington.

Full details of sponsorship opportunities are available on request.

Contact: Vedide Kaymak

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