Korkut Ata Film Festival 2026: Kanto Wins Best Film
Kanto by Ensar Altay won Best Film at the 6th festival closing in Istanbul.
The 6th Korkut Ata Turkic World Film Festival ended in Istanbul with a closing and awards ceremony, and Kanto took the Best Film prize. Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy handed the award to the film’s director, Ensar Altay, according to Sabah.
The Korkut Ata Film Festival brings together filmmakers and artists from across the Turkic world. This year’s prizes covered feature fiction, documentary and short film.
Korkut Ata Film Festival winners in feature fiction
Zaur Gasımlı won Best Director for Tağıyev: Mektep. Amina Salmanova received Best Actress for Ferzana Batıya Gidiyor, and Matyokub Matçonov won Best Actor for Farz.
Nurzhigit Khaidarov took Best Screenplay for Otuz Sekiz: Son Nokta. The Fiction Jury Special Award went to Yusuf. The TÜRKSOY Special Award went to Gürgenç Güzeli Törebeg.
TÜRKSOY is the International Organisation of Turkic Culture. Its own award shows how the festival links cinema to a wider cultural programme.
Documentary and short film prizes
In the documentary competition, Isıyah: Yaz Gün Dönümü won first place. Hayata Susamışlık placed second and Sönmeyen Ateş third. The Documentary Jury Special Award went to Azıh Mağarası: Azerbaycan’ın Beşiği.
Among short films, Rehber took first place. Büyükanne was second and Güneş Çocuk Yusuf third.
What the minister said and why the name matters
In his speech, Ersoy said a festival named after Korkut Ata keeps an old storytelling tradition alive through new films. He called it an important cultural platform that enriches shared memory and strengthens ties among Turkic nations.
Korkut Ata, also known as Dede Korkut, is a legendary storyteller figure in Oghuz Turkic oral tradition. The Book of Dede Korkut, a collection of epic tales, carries his name. That explains why organisers present the festival as a bridge between old narrative culture and modern screen work.
Sabah’s report does not name the ceremony venue or the exact date. It also does not say how many films competed, so this article leaves those details out. Readers who follow historical and epic storytelling on screen may find the shared heritage behind these films worth watching for in future editions.
Source: Sabah
Featured image: Sabah
