“RISING STAR” PRIZE
With the support of Diageo Türkiye, a company that believes in the importance of culture and art in our lives, the “Rising Star” Prize will be presented for the fourth time.
Although Ayvalık International Film Festival is distinguished by its non-competitive structure, the award is given to encourage and support emerging filmmakers. Without any category restrictions, it will be presented to a filmmaker—whether a director, actor, screenwriter, editor, sound designer, or similar—who has drawn attention with their achievements in cinema that year and is considered deserving of encouragement.
This year’s selection committee for the “Rising Star” Prize consists of actress Serra Yılmaz, artist Nermin Er, director/screenwriter Tolga Karaçelik, editor Ayris Alptekin, and film critic Hasan Nadir Derin. Supported by Diageo Türkiye, the award carries a prize of 100,000 TL and will be announced during the opening ceremony on the evening of September 16.
The prize was presented in 2022 to director Ziya Demirel for Ela and Hilmi and Ali, in 2023 to screenwriter Umut Subaşı for Almost Entirely a Slight Disaster, and last year to editor Sinan Kesova for The Great Siege.
"Rising Star" Prize 2025 Jury
Prize Regulations
1. The “Rising Star” Prize is bestowed in support to a director, producer, cinematographer, art director, actor or a film professional active in a similar field, who has just embarked on their career in Türkiye.
2. Productions that were publicly released within the year prior to the beginning of Ayvalık International Film Festival (between 16 September 2024 and 2 September 2025) or screened at national film festivals are automatically eligible without the need for an official submission.
3. Filmmakers who took part for the first time in any of the candidate productions are not required to also apply.
4. The Selection Committee is established by Ayvalık International Film Festival and approved by Diageo Türkiye. The five members of the selection Committee comprise artists from the field of film (e.g. directors, actors, scriptwriters, editors, cinematographers, art directors or composers), academics or artists from other fields, such as painting or literature
5. Productions pre-selected by the Ayvalık International Film Festival are watched by the Selection Committee. Considering candidacy categories, the Selection Committee watches the said films and determines its own candidates, adopts a selection method, and determines the prizes on a joint decision at the deliberation meeting.
6. The Selection Committee cannot comprise members in any way involved or supportive of the candidate productions and cannot nominate immediate relatives.
7. The general eligibility requirements for candidacy to the “Rising Star” Prize are citizenship of the Republic of Türkiye and at least 18 years of age.
8. Only candidates nominated by the Ayvalık International Film Festival are considered.
9. The “Rising Star” Prize is given to a single person and cannot be shared.
10. Diageo Türkiye will present the “Rising Star” Prize at the opening ceremony of the Ayvalık International Film Festival. The aforementioned ceremony will take place on 16 September 2025, at 20.30 hours at the Ayvalık Municipality Büyük Park Amphitheatre.