21 MARCH - 16 MAY 2010

Having been organized for 13 years the International Istanbul Puppet Festival is going to be realized as an event of 2010 European Capital of Culture events, spread in three terms this year with the support of Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency:

1- 21 March: We are celebrating the World’s puppet day 21-27 March
2- The 13th International Istanbul Puppet Festival 4-16 May
3- World Puppets Exhibition 21 March-16 May

21 March the World’s puppet day celebrated in the entire world will be celebrated in Istanbul with a mini festival for the first time as this year Istanbul is the European Capital of Culture.

This mini festival to be realized under the art directorship of Cengiz Özek will be opened on Sunday 21 March 2010 at garajistanbul. One f the distinguished puppet groups of the Netherlands, Duda Paiva Company will attend the opening as guest and perform the show “Morningstar” which s interpreted by a mix technique featuring video, dance, puppets and actors.

At the opening of the festival three masters of Karagöz, Tacettin Diker, Orhan Kurt and Metin Özlen will be presented special awards. These three masters were assigned as “living cultural heritage” since UNESCO acknowledged the Karagöz play as a “verbal cultural heritage”.

Furthermore the “World Puppets” exhibition will be opened on the same day at the Taksim entrance of the Istanbul Metro and Kukla Istanbul where sample puppets of various techniques will be on display.

The festival hosts:
Unia Teatr Niemozliwy with “Toporland” with Tadeuzs Wierzbicki with “Male i” from Poland
Dresdner Figurentheater with “Psycho” and “The Story of the Little Much” from Germany
Slon Theatre with “The Bewitched Phaeton” from Bulgaria
Yumehina Group with “Unjo” from Japan
Velo Theatre with “The Postman” and Arkitel with "L'oeil du loup" from France. Participants from Turkey are as follows:
Tacettin Diker with “Double Witches”, Orhan Kurt with “Dinghy”, Metin Özlen with “Ferhat and Şirin”, Anse Karagöz and the Puppet Theatre with “The Stingy Aga and the Turtle”, Kurmalı Salyangoz with “Four Seasons”, Cengiz Özek Shadow Theatre with “Magical Tree”, “Garbage Monster” and “Magic Lamp”.
Plays that take place in the festival will be staged on the French Cultural Center, Kukla Istanbul, garajistanbul and Notre Dame De Sion High-School. Additionally puppet making workshops will be opened for handicapped children with the support of the White Crescent (Beyaz Ay) Association.

PLAYS IN THE FESTIVAL PROGRAM:
Duda Paiva Company
“Morningstar”
Duration: 65 min
Language: English
Poland: Tadeuzs Wierzbicki

“i”
Duration:
Language: Mute

Poland: Unia Teatr Niemozliwy

“Toporland”
Duration: 60 min
Language: Mute

France: Velo Theatre

“The Postman”
Duration: 60 min
Language: Mute France: Theatre Arketel
"L'oeil du loup"

Japan: Yumehina Group

“Unjo”
Duration: 30 min
Language: Mute

Germany: Dresdner Figurentheater
“Psycho”
Duration: 70 min
Language: English

“The Story of the Little Muck”
Duration: 45 min
Language: German

Bulgaria: Theatre Slon
“The Bewitched Phaeton”
Duration: 55 min
Language: Mute

Turkey: Tacettin Diker
“Double Witches”
Duration: 45 min
Language: Turkish

Turkey: Metin Özlen
“Ferhat and Şirin”
Duration: 45 min
Language: Turkish

Turkey: Orhan Kurt
“Dinghy”
Duration: 45 min
Language: Turkish

Turkey: Anse Karagöz and the Puppet Theatre
“The Stingy Aga and the Turtle”
Duration: 40 min
Language: Turkish

Turkey: Kurmalı Salyangoz
“Four Seasons”
Duration: 40 min
Language: Mute

Turkey: Cengiz Özek Shadow Theatre
“Magical Tree”
Duration: 40 min
Language: Turkish