IT’S HERE! IT’S HERE! As we told you a couple weeks back, spring is the busiest season for film festivals in Metro Boston. But this year is especially crazy, because FIVE of the festivals are running all or part of their programming on the SAME WEEKEND! So you have a ton of choices to make.
So…lets get started kiddies! Boston Springs A Fethival 2018 is officially underway, and we’ll have info for all the various festivals and their schedules every day, so be sure to keep your browser turned to eCinemaBoston.com for all the latest info!
The Boston Turkish Film Festival concludes its first of three weekends for it’s 17th annual program this afternoon with two screenings. As always, all screening are at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
First up today is The Guest (Aleppo-Istanbul) from director Andaç Haznedaroğlu. Here’s the official synopsis:
The Guest tells the story of Lena and Meryem during their flight from the war in Syria. Lena is a ten-year-old girl who has lost her family in the war. She finds herself forced to make her way to Turkey with her baby sister and their neighbor Meryem, along with other refugees. What Lena really wants is to return home, while Meryem’s hope is to reach Europe. They arrive in Istanbul only to face new challenges, they do not know anyone and they get abandoned by the only people who could help. Lena’s efforts to survive in the big city inspire us with hope. At the end of the tough journey they have both learned to love each other with compassion. And their journey makes us reflect on the question: What if a war were to break out tomorrow closer to home?
The screening is at 12 PM, and tickets can be purchased here.
Up next today is Ayla, which was Turkey’s official entry for Foreign Language film at the recent 90th Academy Awards, from director Sıtkı Can Ulkay. Here’s the official synopsis:
In 1950, amidst the ravages of the Korean War, Sergeant Süleyman stumbles upon a a half-frozen little girl, with no parents and no help in sight. Frantic, scared and on the verge of death, this little girl captures the heart of Süleyman, who risks his own life to save her, smuggling her into his Army base and out of harms way. Not knowing her name and unable to communicate with her, Süleyman names her Ayla, in reminiscence of the moon on the fateful night during which they met. The two form an instantaneous and inseparable bond, and Ayla, almost effortlessly, brings an uncanny joy to the Turkish brigade in the grip of war. As the war comes to a close however, Süleyman’s brigade is told that they will be returning home. Süleyman cannot bear abandoning Ayla, and does everything within his power to take her with him. After repeated failure, he is forced to give Ayla to an orphanage, but doesn’t give up on the hope of one day reuniting with her. Will the two ever get back together?
The screening is at 2:00PM, tickets can be purchased here.
Ayla will also be having an encore performance later in the festival, so if you miss it today, you will have one more chance to check it out later!
For complete information on the festival and it’s upcoming offerings, be sure to visit the official website at http://www.bostonturkishfilmfestival.org!
After today, BTFF will be back this coming Wednesday-Sunday each week, and again the same days the following week, so be sure to stay informed by keeping your browser on eCinemaBoston for complete schedule and ticket info! And don’t forget, BTFF will be part of our sister podcast Subject:CINEMA’s massive BSAF coverage throughout the month of May, and also in our huge BSAF SuperGuide PDF online magazine, also coming in mid-May!