French director opens independent film fest

The 12th !f Istanbul International Independent Film Festival opened last night with a special gala screening of French director Leos Carax’s much-anticipated film “Holy Motors.”

Carax, the famed director of “The Lovers on the Bridge” and “Bad Blood,” presented “Holy Motors,” filmed after a 13-year hiatus. Starring Denis Lavant, Kylie Minogue and Eva Mendes, “Holy Motors” has been described as a roller-coaster ride that has bewitched viewers and has been named one of the year’s best films by a number of critics. Carax will be participating in the festival on Feb. 15.

In addition to Carax, the festival will also host important contemporary filmmakers such as Berlinale Alfred Bauer Award winner “Tabu” director Miguel Gomes and Jose Rivera, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of “The Motorcycle Diaries,” “Letters to Juliet” and film adaptation of the cult novel, “On the Road.”

The festival will run until Feb. 24, with films being shown at Istanbul Beyoğlu Cinemaximum Fitas, Istinye Park Cinemaximum, and Caddebostan Cinemaximum Budak. It will run from Feb. 28 to March 3 at Ankara’s Cinemaximum CEPA and at İzmir’s Cinemaximum Forum Bornova.