Honorary Awards were Given to Ferzan Özpetek and Vahide Perçin at the International Adana Golden Boll Film Festival

The honorary awards of the International Adana Golden Boll Film Festival, which was held for the 33rd time this year, found their owners at the ceremony held at PGM 01 Burda Performance Exhibition Center the previous evening. This year's honorary awards were given to director Ferzan Özpetek and theater and cinema artist Vahide Perçin.

TO RUTKAY AZİZ…

The night, hosted by Yeliz Doğramacılar, started with a concert of movie soundtracks by Monart Orchestra. Then, Adana Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Mayor Güngör Geçer made the opening speech of the night. Geçer said, "Adana is a city with a story. You can feel the spirit of cinema when you walk around its streets and chat with its people. Altın Koza is a deep-rooted festival that emerged as a result of this spirit. The reason we are in this hall this evening is to express our gratitude to two master artists who devoted their lives to cinema and dragged us into deep emotions in front of the big screen."

Perçin, who received his award from Adana Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Mayor Güngör Geçer and festival board chairman Menderes Samancılar, expressed his love for Adana and the deep sense of responsibility that the award created in him.

Perçin said: "I was really scared when my dear Nebil Özgentürk gave me the good news of this award. Because the honorary award is an award that requires you to fill the layers in your life properly. I turned and looked back and asked, 'Have I done all of these, do I deserve this?'. Then I said, there are such dishonorable things in this country that I, as a citizen, probably deserve it. I dedicate this award to people who live with dignity, as someone who has witnessed those who live with dignity inside and outside. "I dedicate this award to my father, who lived with dignity as a worker. I dedicate this award to all the working artists and teams of Yeşilçam. I dedicate this award to the honorable life of Rıza Tüzün, who was my master and whom I was always proud to be his apprentice."

'SILENCE IS GOOD'

The award was given to Özpetek by Festival honorary president and Adana Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Zeydan Karalar. In his speech, Karalar stated that Altın Koza is not just a film festival, but a part of Adana's storytelling tradition, and thanked the universal language of Özpetek cinema, which puts people at the center and embraces loneliness and all the colors of life.

At the end of his speech, Karalar also touched upon the detentions of mayors in Mersin, emphasized that trial without arrest is essential, and conveyed his greetings to the mayors. Özpetek said, "I have so much to say. Once I say it, I never know where I will go from here. That's why I keep silent. It feels so nice to keep silent like this," and said, "I dedicate this award to women, who are the most important beings in the world."

'THE ACTOR IS A WORKER!'

The Actors Union organized an industry meeting within the scope of the Golden Boll Film Festival. “We receive awards, but what do we experience?” In the panel titled: Actors Union; Chairman Zuhal Olcay, general secretary Atilla Gündoğdu, general financial secretary Alper Atak, gender equality and anti-discrimination unit responsible Gizem Erman Soysaldı, proximity coordinator Ece Türkmut Dere, organization specialist Demet Koca, stage unit responsible Esin Aslan and vocal unit responsible Arda Kavaklıoğlu attended.

The panel discussed topics ranging from safe sets to proximity coordination, from child actors to dubbing, and the actor's working life, rights and organization. Mayor Olcay said, "Actors are workers" and emphasized that players should first of all accept that they are workers.