“The Eternal Flame” Documentary Wins Third Prize at the 6th Korkut Ata Turkic World Film Festival

The documentary “The Eternal Flame”, directed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tunç Boran, Head of the Department of Cinema and Television at the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture of Çankırı Karatekin University (ÇAKÜ), has been awarded Third Prize in the Documentary Category at the 6th Korkut Ata Turkic World Film Festival. Edited by Dr. Salih Köse, Lecturer at Çankırı Karatekin University, the documentary has brought pride to both the university and Türkiye through its international success.

Selected by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism from among hundreds of documentaries to represent Türkiye at the festival, “The Eternal Flame” competed for an award in the documentary category alongside nine other productions selected from various countries across the Turkic world. According to the results announced at the festival's award ceremony, the documentary received third prize in its category.

The 6th Korkut Ata Turkic World Film Festival concluded with an award ceremony held in Istanbul. At the ceremony, 14 awards were presented across three main categories, while the title of Turkic World Tourism Capital was transferred from Ankara to Tashkent. Organized under the auspices of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the festival came to a close with a ceremony at the Atatürk Cultural Center in Istanbul.

The ceremony was attended by Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Chairman of the Uzbekistan Tourism Committee Abdulaziz Akkulov, TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev, as well as filmmakers and artists from across the Turkic world. The evening was hosted by Nefise Karatay, and the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra performed a special concert. Bringing together filmmakers from 10 countries and 10 autonomous republics and communities, the festival presented 56 films to audiences. A total of 30 productions competed in the feature-length fiction, documentary and short film categories, with 14 awards presented.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy emphasized that the festival helps preserve the shared cultural heritage through new cinematic works and strengthens ties among the peoples of the Turkic world. Stating, “We attach great importance to contributing to the ideal of unity in language, thought and action among the Turkic world through culture and the arts,” Ersoy noted that the festival brought together more than 150 international guests and 300 representatives of the film industry from Türkiye. He also announced that four film projects would receive support following the Türkiye–Kyrgyzstan Project Presentation Event, which was held for the first time as part of the festival.

Aiming to bring the shared historical and cultural heritage of the Turkic world to the screen, the 6th Korkut Ata Turkic World Film Festival brought together filmmakers and productions from different regions. The award received at this international event represents a significant achievement in enhancing the international visibility of Çankırı Karatekin University's academic and artistic work.

The Cultural Memory of the Crimean Tatars Brought to the Screen

Shot entirely in the Crimean Tatar language and running for 31 minutes, “The Eternal Flame” tells the story of Naci Konar, a descendant of a family that migrated from Crimea to Türkiye approximately 120 years ago, and his longing for the ancestral homeland he has never seen.

Through episodes from Naci Konar's life, the documentary explores Crimean Tatar traditions, family ties, cultural identity and the longing for a homeland passed down from one generation to the next. Focusing on themes of migration, belonging, cultural memory and identity, the film contributes to preserving and transmitting Crimean Tatar culture and language to future generations through cinema.

By portraying the historical and cultural heritage of the Crimean Tatars through an individual life story, the film invites audiences to reflect on the powerful connection between the past and the present.

Another International Achievement for “The Eternal Flame”

“The Eternal Flame” had previously achieved notable success on its international festival journey. The documentary received the Audience First Prize at the 1st International Crimea Film Festival. With its third-place award at the 6th Korkut Ata Turkic World Film Festival, the film has further strengthened its international recognition and continues to convey the cultural heritage and collective memory of the Crimean Tatars through the universal language of cinema.

As Çankırı Karatekin University, we congratulate Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tunç Boran, who represented Türkiye at an international film festival and achieved this significant success, and Dr. Salih Köse, Lecturer, who undertook the editing of the documentary. We wish them continued success in their future work.