Izmir International Humor Festival Has Started

İzmir International Humor Festival, which was held for the fifth time this year, started. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç SoyerReferring to the deepening economic crisis in the country, he said, "I send my heartfelt greetings to all the masters who bring original and subtle comments to the problems of our time with humor, open minds, sprinkle our hearts and make us smile."

Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Tunç SoyerIn line with the vision of İzmir to make İzmir a city of culture and arts, the fifth İzmir International Humor Festival has started. Festival, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç Soyerwas opened with a ceremony at the Ahmed Adnan Saygun Art Center with the participation of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Mayor Mustafa Özuslu, artists and art lovers from İzmir.

Addressed the economic crisis

İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor, who made the opening speech of the festival, where master names such as Turhan Selçuk, Aziz Nesin and Rıfat Ilgaz are commemorated. Tunç Soyerreferred to the deepening economic crisis in the country. Saying that Turkey is a place of fire, President Soyer said, “The numbers are flying. We have a hard time keeping track, but worse than where the numbers go, uncertainty prevails. We do not see ahead. We are in a deep crisis. It seems like an irony to be holding a humor festival at a time like this. But as they say, 'The darkest moment is also the closest to the light'. I think it is. I wish it so.”

“I send my heartfelt greetings to all the masters who make us smile”

İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor, who wishes that the healing power of humor will create a small smile on the faces of the people in the difficult days. Tunç Soyer, said: “I believe that art events where we can meet face to face after the difficult pandemic conditions are also valuable in terms of keeping our hopes for life alive. Here we will commemorate many masters who have left their mark on the art world. We will meet with their works. I would like to thank all my friends who contributed to the Izmir International Humor Festival, which is the only interdisciplinary humor festival in our country, which brings invaluable masters to the art of humor. I send my heartfelt greetings to all masters who bring original and subtle comments to the problems of our time with humor, open minds, sprinkle our hearts and make us smile. I would like to thank each and every one of you for sharing this joy.”

Ali Nesin told about his father Aziz Nesin

The director of the festival, Vecdi Sayar, thanked the institutions that cooperated with them for the music festival and said that they worked very efficiently together. Ali Nesin talked about his father Aziz Nesin. Stating that Aziz Nesin is a very funny and pleasant person, Ali Nesin said, “There is something that draws my attention about my father. She has always been at the forefront in all group photos since she was a child. He obviously has leadership qualities. He would post his own photos everywhere. I think he did it to keep his confidence, but he was very lonely. He was very lonely most of the time.”

Thanks to President Soyer

Journalist and writer Nazım Alpman was also the Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality for organizing such a festival. Tunç SoyerThanking , “It's a nice festival. The Turhan Selçuk exhibition is also extraordinary. If Turhan brother saw this, he would probably be as happy as he was in the play of the Antalya State Theatre. He would be even happier. I congratulate those who have contributed," he said. Humor historian Turgut Çeviker stated that the Humor Festival is a belated cultural event in Turkey. Expressing that he congratulated the organizers of the festival, Çeviker said, “I congratulate the organizers of this festival, the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality. I once dreamed of this for Istanbul as well,” he said.

Between 17-23 December

On the second day of the festival, at 12.00, Cengiz Özek's Karagöz play “Garbage Monster” and Aydın Ilgaz's “Hababam Class” will be screened at 15.30 at the İzmir French Cultural Center. On Sunday, December 19, at 14.00 at AASSM, after the Karagöz play called “The Enchanted Tree”, Cengiz Özek will give a talk with the audience at 15.00. At 16.00, researcher-writer Sabri Koz will give a speech on “Popular Music Heroes in Our Folk Culture”. At 17.00 Prof. Dr. Semih Çelenk will meet with the audience with a talk on “Poet Eşref on Stage” in memory of Ege's master of humor. The program ends with Mehmet Esen's “Meddah” play at 18.00.

Comedians who set up theater

On Monday, December 20, at 18.00, dramaturg-writer Eren Aysan has a talk on “Directors Who Construct Theatre”. With this interview, Ulvi Uraz will be commemorated on the 100th anniversary of his birth, Avni Dilligil on the 50th anniversary of his death, Muammer Karaca, Gönül Ülkü-Gazanfer Özcan, Altan Erbulak, Nejat Uygur, Tevfik Gelenbe, Eniz Fosforoğlu, Levent Kırca, and Ferhan Şensoy, who passed away recently. .

After the talk, İzmir City Theater's “Azizname” play will be staged at 20.00. The documentary Müjdat Gezen, signed by Gökmen Ulu, will be screened at 21 in the AASSM Great Hall on December 18.30. President after the documentary Tunç Soyer Müjdat will present the Aziz Nesin Humor Award to Gezen, followed by an interview with Gezen and Ulu. On December 21, the longest night, the program will be completed with the films of Şarlo. During the night, two short films from Chaplin's early period, “Contemporary Times” and “Charlo the Dictator” will be screened.

Masters from the Balkans

The festival also has guests from Balkan countries. Famous Bulgarian cartoonist Lubomir Mihailov will explain the characteristics of the Balkan caricature with examples at the French Cultural Center on Wednesday, December 22 at 19.00. A famous artist from Ukraine, Oleg Gutsov, will join the conversation online. Films by Ion Popescu Gopo, one of the most important creators of world animation cinema, will be screened at 20.00 with the presentation of Dana Duma, a film critic from Romania. The festival will end with a concert called “KomiKlasik” at 23:20.00 at AASSM on XNUMX December. İbrahim Yazıcı will conduct the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Hand in Hand Music Symphony Orchestra. The soloist of the event will be the viola artist Efdal Altun, the creator of this project.