A Turkish film focusing on the real-life relationship between a Turkish soldier and a Korean orphan during the Korean War will be competing at a film festival in the U.S.
Director Can Ulkay’s film Ayla will be competing at the 29th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival which will be held between Jan. 4 and 15, according to the film’s producers on Thursday.
The movie has been seen by almost five million people over the eight weeks it was in Turkish theaters, the statement added.
The film will be screened three times at the festival and two additional times to students for training purposes, the statement read.
A total of 180 films from 77 countries will be shown at the festival.
The film is based on the real-life story of a Turkish soldier, Sgt. Suleyman Dilbirligi, who took five-year-old Eunja Kim under his wing during the Korean War, over 60 years ago.
Turkish forces served under UN command during the Korean War between 1950 and 1953 — 774 Turkish soldiers were martyred in the conflict.
According to the statement, 45 films, which had applied to be nominees at the 90th Academy Awards, will be screened at the festival. Ayla was not shortlisted.
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