Korkut Ata Film Festival Closes With Awards and an AI Debate

The 6th Korkut Ata Turkic World Film Festival ended on 7 November 2026 with an awards ceremony at the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) in Istanbul’s Taksim Square. The same day, a panel asked who controls the technology as artificial intelligence enters cinema.

The festival ran under the auspices of Türkiye’s Culture and Tourism Ministry and was organised by the International Cinema Association. It screened 56 films in six sections. Filmmakers came from 10 countries and 10 autonomous republics and communities.

Korkut Ata Film Festival winners across three categories

Thirty films competed in the feature fiction, documentary and short film categories. In feature fiction, “Kanto” won best film. Zaur Gasimli took best director for “Tagiyev: The School” (“Tagiyev: Mektep”).

Amina Salmanova won best actress for “Ferzana Goes West” (“Ferzana Batıya Gidiyor”). Matyokub Matchonov won best actor for “Obligation” (“Farz”). Nurzhigit Khaidarov received the best screenplay award for “Thirty-Eight: The Final Point” (“Otuz Sekiz: Son Nokta”).

The jury special award went to “Yusuf”. The TURKSOY Special Award went to “Torebeg, the Beauty of Urgench” (“Gürgenç Güzeli Törebeg”). TURKSOY is the International Organization of Turkic Culture.

In the documentary competition, “Isiyah: Summer Solstice” took first place. “Thirst for Life” and “The Unextinguished Fire” followed. The documentary jury special award went to “Azykh Cave: Cradle of Azerbaijan”.

Among the short films, “The Guide” (“Rehber”) placed first. “Grandmother” (“Büyükanne”) came second and “Sun Child Yusuf” third.

A panel asks who holds the blade

A panel titled “Artificial Intelligence in Cinema and the Digital Transformation of Ancient Narrative” took place at Atlas 1948 Cinema in Beyoğlu. TURKSOY, the public broadcaster TRT and the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) supported it. Film officials, academics and content creators discussed AI, human creativity and control over technology.

Birol Güven, the ministry’s general director of cinema, said AI is no longer only a tool. He argued that it increasingly takes part in decisions. Using the image of a knife that can serve good or harmful ends, he asked whether humans still hold the blade.

Associate professor Şebnem Özdemir of Istinye University said heavy reliance on AI makes it harder for people of all ages to form ideas alone. Professor Serdar Öztürk of Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University urged a closer look at the differences between reason, intelligence and consciousness. Azerbaijani director Seyran Mahmudoğlu said AI cannot replace the essence of truth in documentary filmmaking.

Why the Korkut Ata name matters

Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said Korkut Ata is regarded across the Turkic world as a symbol of wisdom and storytelling. Dede Korkut tales, the best known body of stories linked to this figure, are a shared heritage in Turkic literature. Ersoy said organisers want to widen participation and increase co-productions.

He also said more than 150 international guests and 300 industry representatives from Türkiye joined meetings on cinema’s future. Screenings at five venues were free. TURKSOY Secretary-General Sultan Raev said the festival should be a place where new films are born, not only shown. He added that no technology alone can create the soul of the region’s stories.

The ceremony also included a concert by the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra. Ersoy and Abdulaziz Akkulov, head of Uzbekistan’s Tourism Committee, took part in the handover of the Turkic World Tourism Capital emblem.

Source: Türkiye Today
Featured image: Türkiye Today