Istanbul Film Festival Head Steps Down

The head of the Istanbul Film Festival, Azize Tan, is stepping down after nine years at the helm of one of Turkey’s leading movie events, organizers said Monday.

Tan will be replaced by her deputy, Kerem Ayan, who will take up the post in October. The new assistant director will be Bulgu Ozturk, who has worked as a festival coordinator since 2005.

Tan joined the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV) in 1997 as subtitles coordinator for the Istanbul Film Festival. In 2006, she became the director of the fest. She also worked as coordinator of the 5th, 6th and 7th Istanbul Biennial. 

Ayan, a graduate of Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul who later studied film in Paris, was an assistant director in charge of culture at Radio France International for four years and also worked at the Cannes Film Festival, before launching the Political Films Festival in Barcelona in 2005. He is also a theater director with a number of stage plays to his credit.

The 35th Istanbul Film Festival is due to take place in April 2016.

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