Addressing the 17th TRT International Documentary Awards, held this year with the motto 'Be brave, leave a mark,' Presidency's Head of Communications Burhanettin Duran said that the event continues to draw significant interest while further strengthening its role as an important platform contributing to the universal language of documentary filmmaking.
Highlighting that the awards programme has, over the course of 17 years, become a leading reference point in documentary filmmaking and a respected international brand, Head of Communications Duran said, "The fact that 1,409 submissions were received this year from 109 countries across different categories is the most tangible testament to this strong interest. Equally heartening is the fact that 107 of these submissions came from young filmmakers, renewing our hope for the future."
Head of Communications Duran underlined that this strong interest, rooted in the convergence of communication and aesthetics around a shared pursuit of meaning and representation, also attests to Türkiye’s ability to serve as an inclusive international platform for diverse voices in culture, the arts and the media.
Head of Communications Duran emphasised that documentary filmmaking and documentaries are not simply aesthetic modes of representation, but historical testimonies that preserve the collective memory of societies, adding:
"Today, attempts are being made to normalise crises, wars and tragedies. In such a world, documentaries should give voice to silenced geographies and nations and to those who are victimised and oppressed. The lens of a documentary filmmaker is a powerful means of exposing injustices, asymmetric power relations and modern forms of exploitation while holding up a mirror to looming natural disasters. Whatever the circumstances, it represents a form of resistance that lays bare the truths obscured by industrial interests, power struggles and vested interests. By urging us to leave our comfort zones, documentaries affirm, as Susan Sontag noted, that "regarding the pain of others" is not an innocent act of spectatorship but a profound call that puts the conscience to the test. This call serves as a reminder of the human virtues we are in danger of forgetting and of our existential responsibilities. It takes truth out of the comfort of sight and turns it into a shared responsibility of humanity."
Head of Communications Duran stated that the organisation’s slogan for this year, “Be brave, leave a mark”, is meaningful at a time when telling the truth as it is requires courage.
"Sadly, the hypocrisy displayed by the civilised world in the face of the genocide unfolding in Palestine fills our hearts with pain"
Head of Communications Duran noted that throughout significant periods of history, there have been people who sacrificed their lives without seeking to leave a mark yet left behind a sacred legacy, and continued as follows:
"Around 10 years ago, on the night of 15 July 2016, the 253 martyrs who took to the streets and squares to defend the nation’s future, democracy and the will of the people, and who sacrificed their lives, were not concerned with leaving a mark. But they left such a profound mark that we will always remember them with gratitude and mercy. Of course, another example was the Palestinian children who lost their lives under Israeli oppression in Palestine, as well as the journalists, both women and men, in Gaza who stood up for the truth and sacrificed their lives for it. It is hardly too much to ask of documentary filmmakers to show the traces of such courage required to tell the stories of those who lived so bravely. Therefore, standing behind this work is a commendable undertaking that deserves recognition as an achievement by documentary filmmakers. Sadly, the hypocrisy displayed by the civilised world in the face of the genocide unfolding in Palestine fills our hearts with pain."
Emphasising that it is of great importance for these events to be etched into history through new works, Head of Communications Duran said that he found it meaningful and valuable that, in its 17th year, the International Documentary Awards had focused on both 15 July and the Palestinian issue, as this speaks to the conscience of humanity.
"We act with a mindset that places compassion, conscience, and justice at its centre"
Head of Communications Duran stated that the world is going through a turbulent period and that profound humanitarian crises are unfolding simultaneously, adding that both traditional and digital media have also been affected by this "implosion".
Emphasising that documentaries constitute one of the most effective and intellectual tools against the asymmetrical power of digital platforms to manipulate the masses, Head of Communications Duran continued:
At a time when Theodor Adorno describes modern media as an 'illusion industry that numbs the masses', documentary making is a sobering force that resists this narcosis, pulling people out of their false paradise and confronting them with the realities of the world. It is our responsibility to make the most effective use of this opportunity and means in the face of those who seek to hold the minds of the masses captive through disinformation. As Türkiye, we regard the field of communication and media as an integral part of our approach, which is centred on fairness and truth.
Head of Communications Duran said that they stand against the marginalisation of truth through manipulation and disinformation, stressing that the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications—in concert with all relevant institutions—strives to build a fair and inclusive narrative against the hegemony imposed by the illusion industry, unfair forms of representation, and monopolistic structures that silence the voices of the oppressed.
Head of Communications Duran emphasised that Türkiye's aim, under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is to spearhead the establishment of a fairer, more equitable, and more peaceful world order on a global scale, stating, "We act with a mindset that rejects selfish and pragmatic approaches to humanity and instead places compassion, conscience, and justice firmly at its core. This festival stands as a distinguished reflection within the realms of culture, art, and media of the path that Türkiye has charted—under the leadership of our President—centred upon global justice and fairness.
Head of Communications Duran congratulated all the documentary directors, producers, and film industry professionals taking part in the event along with TRT, and expressed his hope that the 17th TRT International Documentary Awards would serve as a milestone in the pursuit of global justice and in stirring the collective conscience of humanity.
Head of Communications Duran also presented awards to the winners in their respective categories at the ceremony.
Meanwhile, in a post shared on his NSosyal account, Head of Communications Duran stated that the 17th TRT International Documentary Awards has once again underscored the importance of documentary cinema as a powerful expression of truth and memory and congratulated the documentary filmmakers and the TRT family for their contributions to the event.
In his post, Head of Communications Duran said:
''I have been delighted to meet with distinguished representatives of the media, cinema, and documentary communities at the 17th TRT International Documentary Awards Ceremony.
The TRT International Documentary Awards, held since 2009, has attracted great interest this year as well, with 1,409 submissions from 109 countries. It is also gratifying that 107 young talents are among these submissions.
Documentary filmmaking is not merely an art form; it is also a powerful expression of truth and memory. Amid the crises unfolding in today’s world, documentaries serve as an important form of testimony, unveiling what would otherwise remain unseen.
The motto 'Be Brave, Leave a Mark' reminds us once again that telling the truth requires great responsibility and courage.
The importance of documentary filmmaking is growing even further in all contexts where the truth is being obscured, particularly in the grave humanitarian situation in Palestine and Gaza.
In the digital age, as information spreads rapidly, combating disinformation and manipulation has become more critical than ever. At this point, documentary cinema stands as one of the most powerful narrative tools in the pursuit of truth.
As Türkiye, under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, we aim to help pave the way for a fairer, more equitable, and more peaceful world order.
Awarded or not, I sincerely congratulate all documentary directors, producers, and cinema professionals who, by courageously pursuing the truth, have contributed to this meaningful event.
I would like to thank the entire TRT family, in the person of TRT Director General Prof Mehmet Zahid Sobacı, for their contributions to the realisation of this valuable event.
I hope that the 17th TRT International Documentary Awards will contribute to the common conscience of humanity.''
