IFF begins in Antalya: Solidarity plaques presented to nature and life defenders

The 21st International Workers' Film Festival's (IFF) Antalya program began with a gala evening where solidarity plaques were distributed and theater and film screenings took place. Plaques were awarded to platforms in Gündoğmuş, Gazipaşa, Kaş, and Geyikbayırı representing the environmental and nature struggles carried out throughout Antalya.

The 21st International Workers' Film Festival (IFF) Antalya leg began with a gala organized at the Konyaaltı Nazım Hikmet Fair and Congress Center. IFF Antalya Organizing Committee Spokesperson Dr. Okan Cinemre, in his opening speech, greeted the guests with verses by Şükrü Erbaş, saying, "Those who came here with the desire to multiply shared joys by saying 'I am not alone', longing for those heartfelt friendships, comradeships, a world where humans do not oppress each other or nature, those who protect and defend the rights of workers, women, nature, children, and animals instead of daily personal interests, leaving their cheap fears behind and turning their faces to the future, living the excitement of standing shoulder to shoulder together, welcome."

Cinemre continued by providing information about the IFF:

This festival brings our city shared emotions using the screen's compelling power, producing films and documentaries that look at life from the perspective of workers and laborers, make visible the problems of women and children, support ecological struggles, and tell the stories of oppressed sections of world peoples.

In a period where everything is determined according to market conditions, Okan Cinemre expressed his hope that Antalyans would take ownership of this festival organized without sponsors, without competition, without awards, and entirely with the labor of volunteers. Reminding that films will be screened in many different points of the city, he invited cinema lovers to watch the films.

Cypress saplings distributed

Following Cinemre's speech, Baküs Stage theater actors performed a small play titled "Vakit geldi mi" (Is the time come).

Additionally, at the evening, labor and solidarity plaques traditionally awarded every year were distributed, and cypress saplings were gifted to guests as a memento of the night. This year's solidarity awards highlighted environmental and life defenders. Plaques were awarded to platforms in Gündoğmuş, Gazipaşa, Kaş, and Geyikbayırı representing the environmental and nature struggles carried out throughout Antalya.

Fighting to protect the forest, water, and people

Kutay Meriç from the IFF Antalya team presented his plaque to the Gündoğmuş Environmental Platform, which cancelled the Alara HES project and is now fighting against mining pits and new HES initiatives. Meriç said that Nurettin Sönmez, spokesperson of the platform, is a former Eğitim-Sen president and one of the people who founded and supported IFF Antalya, and therefore he was especially happy to present this plaque.

Nurettin Sönmez also stated that he felt great honor in receiving this plaque from the IFF Antalya Organizing Committee, of which he is a founder, saying, "We all know how important it is for people with the same thinking to fight to protect the country's nature, environment, water, democracy, and humanity, parallel to such events." Sönmez called for solidarity while providing information about their joint struggles with the local population.

Support is necessary for plans to change

In Gazipaşa, the Gazipaşa Platform for All, which opposes the construction of large hotels on the shores that are the habitat and protected area of Mediterranean monk seals, loggerhead turtles, and all marine life, saying "You cannot come here like this, wait a minute, we are here," received its plaque from Süleyman Keskin, General President of DİSK Energy Union, who greeted the struggle for nature and labor. Güldane Şahin, spokesperson for the platform that received the plaque, called out with the words "We need support to change these plans. We want to see you, nature lovers, by our side in the struggle we are giving to change these plans" during her thank-you speech.

"Climate struggle is not in summit halls, but in the lands we live on"

A plaque was given to Geyikbayırı Life Platform, which gathered in Doyran to defend water resources against the HES project and carries out ecological struggles around Geyikbayırı, Doyran, and Hisarçandır, from journalist Ali Taş.

Bahar Ünlü, who received the plaque on behalf of the platform, thanked the International Workers' Film Festival Antalya team for this valuable solidarity and said:

"We are struggling to protect our water, our forests, our cultural heritage, our habitats, and our rock climbing areas." Platform spokesperson Ünlü added, "Before COP 31, this award reminds us that the real climate struggle is not given in summit halls but in the lands we live on."

"Environmental rights are now a right to life"

Academician Gürsel Kayır gave a plaque to Kaş Environment and Culture Association, which has been struggling for years to protect the region against rent-seeking projects, mines, and stone quarries around Kaş. Ahmet Murat Akoy, who received the plaque, reminded that Kaş is one of two districts with special environmental protection, possessing eight ancient cities and important protected areas. Akoy described the struggle given against the marble mine project planned for the area where thousand-year-old plane trees stand, stating that everyone must stand shoulder to shoulder to protect these areas, and thanked supporters of the struggle in Kaş one by one.

Tuncay Koç, a member and lawyer of the Kaş Association, also began his speech by paying tribute to Ahmet Çevik from the Antalya Bar Association who recently passed away. Describing that environmental rights have today become a struggle for the right to life, Koç said "This is a field of struggle where people defend their own living spaces, their own geography, and their own life rights. Therefore, it is a right to life, and the right to life is directly connected with freedoms and democracy."

Tuncay Koç also greeted Can Atalay and Selçuk Kozağaçlı, whom he visited in prison last week, during his speech.

After the speeches that night, a fictional film from Spain titled "Suit and Dinner Plate," a local fictional work titled "Night Shifts," and a documentary on organization and resistance from Sweden titled "Victory Train" were shown.

The IFF Antalya gala night ended with volunteers who organized the sponsorless festival without free tickets being thanked and greeted on stage.

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