48th Antalya Altın Portakal (Golden Orange) International Film Festival get off to a sparkling and emotional start as Turkish actor Rutkay Aziz slammed the AKP government anonymously but obviously and called a movement of ignorance is the current truth in Turkey.

Rutkay Aziz, who spoke upon getting  the award for Social Responsibility in Art marked the opening ceromony at the 48thAntalya Altın Portakal (Golden Orange) International Film Festival with his heavy criticism of AKP government and increasing violence against women, that was greeted with a standing ovation.

The most prestigious event on the Turkish cinema calendar, the Golden Orange festival, which in 2011 honors women’s contributions to cinema with the theme “And women touched the world”, saw many poignant addresses made by Turkish actors, actresses, directors and filmmakers on the disturbingly increasing domestic violence Turkish women face.

Antalya Film Festival: Rutkay Aziz slams AKP government at ceremony speech

Among them the speech by Rutkay Aziz became a shock for ruling AKP, Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi ( Justice and Development Party), as the Turkish actor referred to AKP saying ” Genuine artists are responsible for witnessing and reacting to truths in their country and the world. What i have witnessed so far in Turkey is, that the superiority of law does not exist anymore, an unjust development makes rapidly track, my fellow student sits in jail for protesting for free education, while students in Chile make a revolution.”

”This festival is about women. In no other part of the world women and children are abused more than here. Here is the truth of my country: An organised movement of ignorance, as Goethe referred to it as the most dangerous kind of ignorance. And there is the truth in the world: Battle cries, hunger, invasion and exploitation. I quote here Charlie Chaplin and say that the cinema is genuinely an art of peace. Cinema will contribute Turkey and the World democracy, freedom, peace and humanity, by preserving the essence of peace it embraces. I hope this festival is a start.”

AKP Government and women abuse and violence in Turkey

Rutkay Aziz also told, if he is ever to renege from what he claims here at this stage, the jury should take his prize back. Also a reference to some artisans in Turkey, who had opposed but recently became puppets of the current AKP government.

Rutkay Aziz’ emotional speech moved the audince present at the Cam Piramit Sabancı Congress and Exhibition Center in Antalya, Turkey and was greeted by a standing ovation at a festival emphasizing the importance of the arts as a vehicle to speak out against atrocities against women, both in Turkey and around the world.

Rutkay Aziz at the stage of Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival Video :

[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YDAlk1j_B8[/tube] [adrotate banner=”33″]