‘Fish’ will open the very first Golden
Island International Film Festival
The Golden Island International Film Festival (GIIFF), in partnership with Creditwest Bank, is delighted to announce that the Opening Night film for the inaugural festival will be Fish (Balık), a touching tale about a family that turns to tradition to heal where modern medicine has failed, but find their lives radically
altered as they go against nature. The film, by award-winning Turkish Cypriot director Derviş Zaim, will receive its Cyprus premiere on Thursday 6 November at the Girne American University. The director and stars from the film, Bülent İnal and Sanem Çelik, are expected to attend the Kyrenia opening gala event, along with special guest actors Demet Akbağ and Erdal,Özyağcılar who will be the first recipients of GIIFF’s Honorary Cinema Award along with director Derviş Zaim.
In Fish, Zaim again puts the spotlight on the relationship between humans and nature. A fisherman, his wife and their young daughter who is unable to speak live in a tranquil village on the shores of a lake. Their story starts with the mother relying on local superstition to seek a rare fish she believes can cure her daughter. She finds the fish, but little goes to plan after, and their lives take a series of severe and unexpected turns when the father makes decisions that go against the grain of nature.
Yeşim Güzelpınar, GIIFF director, comments: “It’s fitting that Cyprus’ new international film festival opens with one of its most acclaimed directors, Derviş Zaim. His new film Balık sits squarely within our Environment cinema strand, tackling the strained bonds 
between humans and nature. The film is both beautiful and bold in message: here’s what happens if you keep messing with nature.”
Director Derviş Zaim said: “I am thrilled that Balık has been selected to open this new and promising film festival for Cyprus.”
Fish is written, directed and produced by Derviş Zaim and both the films leading stars have worked with him before. Bülent İnal, best known for TV series Bitmeyen Şarkı and Ihlamurlar Altında, featured in Zaim’s 2006 film Cenneti Beklerken. Sanem Çelik captivated Turkey in the title role of TV series Aliye, and won the Best Actress award at both the Istanbul and Adana Film Festivals when she appeared in Zaim’s Filler ve Çimen.
Emre Oskay is the Executive Producer. Natali Yeres is the film’s Art Director, Taner Tokgoz the Director of Photography, music is by Marios Takoushis and editing by Aylin Zoi Tinel. The film was financially supported by both the Turkish and TRNC governments.
The 1st Golden Island International Film Festival, in partnership with Creditwest Bank, runs from Thursday 6- Thursday 13 November 2014 in a variety of venues in Cyprus. The full programme will be announced on Friday 31 October.
