Turkish filmmaker says his film got banned after Gaza’s rallies
(MENAFN) “Silence is complicity of the genocide right now,” said Turkish filmmaker Necmi Sancak, emphasizing that speaking out for justice outweighs remaining quiet for the sake of his career.
Sancak, whose first feature film Ayse received recognition at international festivals, had been preparing for its theatrical debut in Türkiye. The release date was finalized, contracts were signed, and anticipation was building—until, just days before the premiere, he says the distributor unexpectedly pulled out.
The filmmaker links this decision to his participation in the Global Sumud Flotilla, a civilian-led maritime initiative by international activists aimed at highlighting the blockade of Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there.
“We already planned the release date in the theater. It was the 3rd of October,” he explained.
According to him, the company pressed him about his political views before his trip.
“I said I’m not political, I’m a movie maker, but I am a humanitarian activist too,” he recounted telling United International Pictures (UIP).
“They told me they are an American company…and that it can be a problem for them,” he added.
Soon after, he received an email stating that the contract had been terminated. The message, he said, referred to his “joining a global activist protest,” which might cause “a bad situation for our company.” The note suggested the possibility of revisiting the matter once he returned.
Frustrated, Sancak rejected the idea of further delay. “But I was holding my movie for two years. And we are going to discuss what?” he asked.
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