The press launch of the first-ever Düzce Konuralp Film Festival (DKFF) took place on Thursday, February 20, 2025, at the Erol Güngör Cultural Center in Düzce.

The festival will take place in Düzce from May 15-18, 2025.

Düzce Governor Selçuk Aslan, Düzce University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. İlhan Genç, Düzce Deputy Mayor Burak Coşkun, and Düzce Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Erdoğan Bıyık attended the press conference.

Organized by Düzce Governorship, Düzce University, Düzce Municipality, and Düzce Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the 1st Düzce Konuralp Film Festival attracted significant interest from national media outlets, as well as journalists from Istanbul and Ankara.

Düzce Governor Selçuk Aslan: “Our vision is to showcase the good through art”

Highlighting that Düzce draws its strength from production, labor, and service, Governor Selçuk Aslan stated:

“Düzce is a dynamic city that has achieved remarkable success in every sector it serves. It is our responsibility to do our work well, but our vision is to showcase the good through art. We believe that our city will become an integrative value through art and culture. The Düzce Konuralp Film Festival takes its name from the city’s deep-rooted history, merging the roots of history with cinema. Being the first festival of its kind in Düzce, this event will elevate our city further through art. We invite all cinema enthusiasts to join us in Düzce and be part of this excitement.”

Düzce University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. İlhan Genç: “The festival will add value to the city”

Highlighting that bringing art lovers together is an unforgettable experience, Düzce University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. İlhan Genç stated:

“We believe that the Konuralp Film Festival, which will highlight Düzce’s artistic identity and share its cultural heritage with wider audiences, will be a significant event that adds value to our city. Offering a unique atmosphere with its natural beauty and historical texture, Düzce will host unforgettable experiences through this festival, bringing together art lovers. This special gathering, intertwined with the magic of cinema, will inspire both participants and viewers while making a strong contribution to the cultural life of our city.”

Düzce Deputy Mayor Burak Coşkun: “At its core, it’s all about art”

Sharing his thoughts on the festival, Deputy Mayor Burak Coşkun said:

“Düzce is an ancient city renowned for its admirable geography, cultural richness, and history. With the Düzce Konuralp Film Festival, this ancient city is now opening its doors to art lovers. At its core, it’s all about art, and we invite all cinema enthusiasts to Düzce.”

Düzce Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Erdoğan Bıyık: “Düzce Konuralp Film Festival will make a significant contribution to the city’s promotion”

In his speech, Düzce Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Erdoğan Bıyık stated:

“Our city of Düzce possesses excellent tourism potential with its nature, history, gastronomy, cultural structure, and strategic location. The Düzce Konuralp Film Festival will make a significant contribution to promoting this potential. As the Düzce Chamber of Commerce and Industry, we are proud to be a partner in this initiative and to play a role in promoting Düzce through artistic endeavors.”

Ceyhan Kandemir: “A structure with the strength of mainstream festivals”

Festival President Prof. Dr. Ceyhan Kandemir emphasized that providing production support for film projects would be a great source of motivation, stating:

“I see this festival as an alternative structure with the strength of mainstream festivals. With the collaboration of the governorship, municipality, and university administrations, along with the interest and support of public institutions and the private sector, it will secure a successful place in the film industry. Offering young filmmakers the opportunity to present their films to audiences and providing production support for film projects is both a great source of motivation and highly promising. It is impossible not to be inspired by Düzce’s nature, history, and cultural structure; all filmmakers coming together at this festival will continue to amplify and enhance this influence.”

Competitions in Three Categories

The festival organizing committee announced that the application deadline is February 25, 2025, and shared the following details:

“The festival will host competitions in three main categories: Fiction Film, Documentary Film, and Production Support, with cash prizes awarded to the winners in each category.

• Fiction Film category:
  • 1st place: 75,000 TL
  • 2nd place: 50,000 TL
  • 3rd place: 25,000 TL
• Documentary Film category:
  • 1st place: 75,000 TL
  • 2nd place: 50,000 TL
  • 3rd place: 25,000 TL
• Production Support category:
  • 1st project: 65,000 TL
  • 2nd project: 50,000 TL

Additionally, the “Governor’s Special Award” will be presented annually, with this year’s award amount set at 60,000 TL.*

Screening Venues and Talks to Be Announced on the Festival’s Official Platforms

The organizers stated that announcements regarding film screening venues and schedules will be made in the coming months, adding:

“Discussions with our jury members are ongoing, and we are in the process of selecting the preliminary and main jury members in line with the festival’s objectives. Meanwhile, our General Coordinator, Dr. Nurgül Soydaş, and Festival Directors, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nil Çokluk and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mesut Aytekin, continue their work on workshops, masterclasses, talks, and panels.

For all festival announcements, please visit our official website: www.duzcekonuralpfilmfestivali.org.tr.”