Turkey | From Cinema to Resistance: The International Anti-War Film Festival Sets Out

Organized by the Spartacus Culture and Art Association, the International Anti-War Film Festival will meet audiences with its launch on September 1, World Peace Day. The festival will take place on December 5, 6, and 7 with simultaneous and free screenings in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Gazimağusa (Cyprus) and Winnenden (Germany).

Aiming to unite anti-war cinema with the international power of art against the war atmosphere into which the world has been dragged, the festival stands as a call to humanity in a time when we are surrounded by war and ethnic cleansing. It invites filmmakers, critics, students, and cinephiles to become a collective part of the festival against war.

“We Shoot the Truth”

In its manifesto, the festival addresses those who care about humanity, society, and justice; those who dare to tear through darkness; those who bring unseen suffering to the screen; those who break the silence created by war by sharing their knowledge, labor, and stories. It calls for the creation of a cinema of resistance:

“Cameras should focus on the dust of bombed hospitals, the silence of trenches, the unending traces of exploitation in the depths of poor countries.
Cinema is a weapon. The rulers load this weapon with lies. We will arm ourselves with the truth.”

Emphasizing the creation of a cinema of solidarity and resistance, the festival will focus on short films with anti-war themes. However, works addressing related sub-themes such as peace, resistance, justice, equality, and social struggle will also be considered.

Call for Volunteers

The festival invites all amateur and professional filmmakers to bring their voices against war, violence, and injustice to the big screen. The organizers aim for this event to be not only a film feast but also a call to resistance. Anyone wishing to support the organization as a volunteer can contact the festival team and become part of this solidarity. Applications can be submitted via the festival’s official website.

Submissions Open

The Festival Advisory Board includes Hüseyin Nacar, founder of the Barikat Film Festival and documentary filmmaker; Assoc. Prof. Zehra Cerrahoğlu, director of the 2Yaka Film Festival; Dr. Okan Dağlı, a peace activist from Cyprus; and Assoc. Prof. Umut Bozkurt, academic. The festival jury will be announced in the coming weeks.

Submissions officially opened on July 26, 2025, and will remain open until October 1, 2025. Participation is open to all amateur and professional filmmakers. Applications can be made through FilmFreeway or at savaskarsitifilmfestivali.org.

The festival accepts short fiction films of 20 minutes or less, with a production year after January 2000.

Further details: https://savaskarsitifilmfestivali.org/en/