Overview
The Korkut Ata Film Festival of the Turkic World (also spelled Gorkut Ata) is an international film festival organized by TURKSOY (the International Organisation of Turkic Culture). The festival rotates between host cities in TURKSOY member countries. It was initiated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey. The festival is named after Dede Korkut (Korkut Ata), the legendary figure who holds a central place in the shared cultural memory of the Turkic world.
The 4th edition was held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, from November 13 to 15, 2024, coinciding with the declaration of the ancient Turkmen city of Anau as Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2024. The 5th edition was held in Aktau, Kazakhstan, from October 1 to 4, 2025. The festival has previously been held in Istanbul (1st edition), Bursa (2nd edition), and Baku (3rd edition).
The 2024 Ashgabat edition was hosted at the Mukam Palace of the State Culture Center of Turkmenistan, with screenings at the Ashgabat cinema and the Watan and Turkmenistan cinema and concert centers. The festival brought together filmmakers from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Hungary, Russia, Moldova, and other participating nations.
The festival is not FIAPF-accredited. It is a state-organized cultural diplomacy event rather than an independent industry festival. Its focus is on films from the Turkic world: feature films, documentaries, and works that present the culture of Turkic peoples to an international audience.
Submission Details
The Korkut Ata Film Festival does not use FilmFreeway or Eventival for submissions. Submissions are handled through TURKSOY member country ministries and national film associations.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Submission Platform | Through TURKSOY member country film associations and ministries |
| Submission Fee | No publicly listed entry fee |
| Eligibility | Films from TURKSOY member countries and observer states |
| Screener Format | Contact festival organizers for current requirements |
| Subtitle Requirement | Check with organizers (Russian, Turkish, or English subtitles typically expected) |
| Website | korkutatafilmfestivali.com |
Filmmakers from TURKSOY member countries (Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Hungary as observer) should contact their national film association or ministry of culture for submission information. Filmmakers from non-Turkic countries are generally not eligible for the competitive sections. The submission process is not transparent or publicly documented, reflecting the festival's state-organized, cultural diplomacy nature.
Premiere Status Requirements
The festival does not publish standard premiere requirements. Given the festival's cultural diplomacy focus, premiere requirements are likely determined on a case-by-case basis by the organizing committee. Contact the festival organizers through TURKSOY or the host country's ministry of culture for current requirements.
Competition Sections and Categories
Based on the 2024 and 2025 editions:
- Feature Film Competition - narrative films from TURKSOY member countries, judged by an international jury
- Documentary Competition - nonfiction films from participating countries
- Special Screenings - non-competitive cultural programming, including co-productions between Turkic countries
- Master Classes - film industry professionals conducting workshops for students
- Exhibition Programs - exhibitions on the history of Turkmen cinematography
- Cultural Excursions - visits to heritage sites for international delegates
Awards and Prizes
The festival awards prizes in the following categories based on the 2025 edition:
- Best Feature Film
- Best Director
- Best Screenplay
- Best Actress
- Best Actor
- TURKSOY Special Award - for "Contribution to Turkic Culture"
The awards are primarily honorary, with statuettes and certificates. The "Crane" statuette symbolizes the festival's baton-passing tradition between host countries. At the 2024 Ashgabat edition, the Turkmenfilm Association presented several new films, and the co-production "Makhtumkuli Fragi" (a joint Uzbek-Turkmen project about the 18th-century Turkmen poet) was a program highlight.
Turkmenistan Cinema Context
Turkmenistan has one of the most state-controlled film industries in the world. The Turkmenfilm Association (named after Oguzkhan) is the primary state film production entity. Independent or private film production is extremely limited. The government maintains strict oversight of all cultural activities, and international films with politically sensitive content would not be programmed at a state-organized festival in Ashgabat. The Korkut Ata festival operates within this framework: it is a cultural diplomacy event that promotes cooperation among Turkic states, not an open artistic platform.
The Korkut Ata festival is not a permanent Ashgabat event. It rotates between TURKSOY member cities. The 5th edition moved to Aktau, Kazakhstan. The festival will return to Turkmenistan only when Turkmenistan is again designated as host.
Festival History
The Korkut Ata Film Festival was initiated in 2021 by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey, under the coordination of TURKSOY. The festival was created to promote cooperation in cinematography among Turkic states.
Edition history:
- 1st edition: Istanbul, Turkey
- 2nd edition: Bursa, Turkey
- 3rd edition: Baku, Azerbaijan
- 4th edition: Ashgabat, Turkmenistan (November 13 to 15, 2024)
- 5th edition: Aktau, Kazakhstan (October 1 to 4, 2025)
The 2024 Ashgabat edition coincided with the 300th anniversary of the birth of Magtymguly Fragi and the declaration of Anau as Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2024. Turkmenistan also hosts a separate local film festival called "Arkadagyn saheri" (City of Arkadag), which is distinct from the Korkut Ata international festival.
Past Winners
The 4th edition (Ashgabat, November 2024) awarded the Grand Prix to Magtumguly Fragi, a joint Uzbek-Turkmen production about the 18th-century Turkmen poet Magtymguly Fragi. The film received a standing ovation at the closing ceremony. Hakan Yonat won Best Director for Sadik Ahmet (Turkey), a TRT co-production about a Turkish political figure.
Error 404 won Best Screenplay for its narrative style. Aleme Belgilidir won Best Documentary, filmed in commemoration of the 300th anniversary of Magtymguly Fragi's birth. D. Melayeva won Best Actress and D. Urazayev won Best Actor. The jury gave special recognition to Composer and Kitap (Turkmenistan).
The 5th edition (Aktau, October 2025) drew 47 competing films. Black. Red. Yellow from Kyrgyzstan won Best Feature Film. Aruan Anartai won Best Director for Joqtau (Kazakhstan). Alina Mustafina won Best Documentary for Gingerbread for Her Father, My Great-Grandfather, Her Grandfather (Kazakhstan).
Taleh Yuzbekov (Azerbaijan) won Best Screenplay for May Be. Yulduz Rajabova (Uzbekistan) and Mine Dogan (Turkey) shared Best Actress. Parviz Mamedrzaev (Azerbaijan) won Best Actor for his role in Tagiyev: Oil Azerbaijan. The TURKSOY Special Award for Contribution to Turkic Culture went to Kazakh actress Samal Yeslyamova.
The jury also gave special recognition to Kitap (Turkmenistan) and Kachkyn (Kyrgyzstan). The 2025 jury included 12 members from 6 countries. Sahysalyh Bayramov (Turkmenistan) and Aydin Sakhman (Kazakhstan) co-chaired the jury.
Notable Alumni Films
Magtumguly Fragi (2024 Grand Prix winner) was a co-production between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, produced collaboratively by teams from both countries. It marked a rare instance of cross-border cooperation in Central Asian cinema. The film did not receive international distribution outside the Turkic world.
Sadik Ahmet (2024 Best Director winner) was a TRT co-production about Sadik Ahmet, a Turkish political figure and human rights activist. Hakan Yonat directed the film, which aired on TRT and circulated within Turkey's domestic market.
Black. Red. Yellow (2025 Best Feature Film winner) from Kyrgyzstan won among 47 films at Aktau. No international distribution deals have been reported for the film.
Joqtau (2025 Best Director winner) by Aruan Anartai represented Kazakhstan. The film's Kazakh-language production reflected the festival's focus on Turkic-language cinema. No downstream distribution information is available.
Submission Tips
- Only filmmakers from TURKSOY member countries (Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan) and observer states (Hungary) can submit to competitive sections. Non-Turkic films appear only by invitation in special screening programs.
- Contact your national film association or ministry of culture directly. The festival does not use FilmFreeway or any open submission platform. Each member country manages its own selection process through government channels.
- Films should connect to Turkic culture, history, or shared cultural heritage. The programming committee favors works that present Turkic peoples and traditions to an international audience. Co-productions between Turkic countries receive special consideration, as demonstrated by the 2024 Grand Prix winner Magtumguly Fragi.
- Prepare subtitles in the host country's primary language. For the 2024 Ashgabat edition, Russian and Turkmen were primary. For the 2025 Aktau edition, Kazakh and Russian dominated. English subtitles may work but confirm with organizers before submitting.
- The 6th edition (2026) will take place in Turkey, which has a stronger film infrastructure. Monitor the TURKSOY website and your national film association for submission timelines. Turkey's hosting may attract larger industry attendance than previous editions.
- Documentaries about Turkic cultural figures perform well in competition. The 2024 Best Documentary winner Aleme Belgilidir commemorated the 300th anniversary of Magtymguly Fragi's birth. Films tied to TURKSOY cultural capital designations receive programming priority.
Industry Reputation Notes
The Korkut Ata festival functions as a cultural diplomacy event, not an industry marketplace. No film market operates alongside the festival. No international buyers, sales agents, or distributors attend.
Compared to the Eurasia International Film Festival in Almaty (which runs a proper industry market and attracts international buyers), Korkut Ata has no acquisition pipeline. Eurasia draws submissions from across Central Asia. Korkut Ata draws only from Turkic states.
Compared to the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival (Turkey's main competitive festival with international industry presence), Korkut Ata serves a narrower cultural cooperation mandate. Antalya attracts international press and operates a market. Korkut Ata operates as a state-organized cultural exchange.
The festival's value lies in co-production networking between Turkic national film industries. The 2026 edition in Turkey will likely attract larger industry attendance due to Turkey's stronger film infrastructure.
Samal Yeslyamova, who received the 2025 TURKSOY Special Award, previously won the Best Actress award at Cannes 2018 for Ayka. However, the festival does not function as a launchpad for international careers. Winning films stay within the Turkic world circuit.
See Also
Calculate your total festival submission costs and projected return using the Festival ROI Calculator. Estimate your acceptance probability with the Festival Acceptance Odds Estimator. For Central Asian cinema, see International Film Markets. For festival circuit strategy, see Film Festival Strategy. Visit korkutatafilmfestivali.com or TURKSOY for more information.
