The 10th International Student Film Festival of the Golden Baklava Film Academy, organised by the Faculty of Communication at Hasan Kalyoncu University, was held between 27–29 April 2026 with record participation. The festival, which featured a distinguished jury of renowned names, concluded with a prestigious gala night where the awards were presented.

1,888 Film Submissions from 105 Countries

A total of 1,888 films from 105 countries were submitted to the festival, hosted on the Hasan Kalyoncu University campus. Competing in the Fiction, Documentary, Animation, Artificial Intelligence and the newly introduced Very Short categories, young filmmakers had the opportunity to develop their skills through workshops, screenings, talks and cultural tours held throughout the event.

An International Festival with a Distinguished Jury

The jury was chaired by producer Mehmet Bozdağ and included prominent figures such as actor-director Tamer Levent, actor-producer Yağmur Taylan, and actors Mahassine Merabet, Mert Yazıcıoğlu and Özge Özberk. During the three-day festival, students engaged in discussions with both the jury members and well-known figures from the film industry.

A Festival Dedicated Exclusively to Student Films

Speaking at the gala, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Haluk Kalyoncu stated:
“We are delighted to be together with you at the Golden Baklava Film Festival, now in its tenth year, organised by our Faculty of Communication and open exclusively to student short films. Our university places great importance on fostering cultural and artistic development within a strong institutional identity and a student-centred education model. We closely support and follow the workshops and practical training opportunities provided by our Faculty of Communication and Faculty of Fine Arts and Architecture, enabling students to discover and develop their artistic talents. I congratulate all participating students who contributed with 1,888 films from universities both in Türkiye and abroad. We are pleased to welcome students from countries such as Germany, China, Iran and Lebanon, and we will honour these valuable works with awards presented by our distinguished artists.”

From Festival to Film School

Acting Rector Prof. Dr. Gül Rengin Küçükerdoğan remarked:
“What began ten years ago as a journey to provide space for young filmmakers’ stories has now evolved into a strong international gathering. Initially more limited in scope, our festival has grown into a powerful platform bringing together stories from diverse geographies. Beyond being a competition, it offers a learning environment through its workshops, talks and knowledge-sharing opportunities. In this respect, the Golden Baklava has, over the years, gained the identity not only of a festival but also of a film school.”

Jury President Mehmet Bozdağ added that the festival continues to improve in quality and institutional strength each year, highlighting the promising nature of the films presented. Şahinbey Mayor Mehmet Tahmazoğlu also expressed his appreciation for the university’s commitment to sustaining the festival over a decade.

Awards Presented to 22 Films Across Five Categories

At the 10th Golden Baklava Film Festival, a total of 22 films were awarded across five categories:

Fiction

First Prize: Was Never Her Choice – Marguerita Nakhoul (Lebanon)
Second Prize: Don’t Say It – Ezgi Temel (Türkiye)
Third Prize: ANGST – Furkan Arslantaş (Türkiye)
Honourable Mention: Time for Lemons – Muhammed Sıddık Aktaş (Türkiye)

Documentary

First Prize: My Grandmother is a Skydiver – Polina Piddubna (Germany)
Second Prize: RAH – Beyza Emişen (Türkiye)
Third Prize: Gaziantep’s Hidden Wings – Yakup Yener (Türkiye)
Honourable Mention: Children of the Mountains – Guliza Abdykamilova (Kyrgyzstan)

Animation

First Prize: Cell Buddies – Melle Windig, Hidde Alberts, Miguel Reyes, Jurgen de Smit, Arjen van der Plas (Netherlands)
Second Prize: Spear – Harvey Gozado (Philippines)
Third Prize: Arash the Archer – Shaghayeh Nozari (United Kingdom)
Honourable Mention: Ricardo, Ricorda – Marco Grosso (Switzerland)

Artificial Intelligence

First Prize: Next Hope – Osama Othman (Türkiye)
Second Prize: The Last Bookstore – Siyuan Peng, Yuting Peng, Yulu Xiang, Xinyao Wang, Siheng Yin, Jingran Wang (China)
Third Prize: My Sugar Spiked: An Evliya Çelebi Adventure – Mert Can Altun (Türkiye)
Honourable Mention: Legacy – Ufuk Karadavut (Türkiye)

Very Short

First Prize: Percussion – Oktay Yıldırım (Türkiye)
Second Prize: Sanrı – Aysel Beyza Bozdoğan (Türkiye)

Special Awards

Hasan Kalyoncu Special Award: Sultan’s Stone – Berkay Ellek (Türkiye)
Jury Special Award: Kudret – Mehmet Oğuz Yıldırım (Türkiye)
Peace Special Award: Tammam – Tamam Sharrack (Türkiye)