ANKARA - Turkey, which is a perfect place for shooting films thanks to its natural and historical beauties, was going to open to Hollywood, Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry said on Friday.
The Ministry is hosting 12 people from U.S. movie world in order to draw interest of Hollywood in Turkey's natural and historical beauties.
John Milius, the director of ''Conan the Barbarian'' in which Arnold Schwarzenegger was the leading actor; Mario Kassar, one of producers of ''Terminator''; Bronwen Hughes, the director of ''Forces of Nature'' in which Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock played; Deborah Kara Unger, who played in several films like ''Thirteen'', ''Signs and Wonders'' and ''Crash'' are included in the team which came from Hollywood to Turkey.
U.S. movie makers would be briefed on Turkish movie industry, new laws and regulations, and facilities and incentives for foreign movie makers, sources said.
Culture & Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu will meet Hollywood moviemakers in southern city of Antalya in order to generate new projects.
Abdurrahman Celik, the Director General of Copyright Cinema, said that they aimed to promote Turkey in Hollywood and attract Hollywood investments in Turkey. And therefore, he stated, they invited U.S. filmmakers to Turkey.
Celik noted that those guests would be encouraged to shoot films in Turkey.
-THERE ARE INTERESTING STORIES IN ANATOLIA-
Celik said that countries like Egypt had lost its attraction for moviemakers and now, there was great interest in Turkey. He continued, ''there are very interesting stories in Anatolia. They are aware of these stories, but they can't dare to shoot a film in Turkey so far. But, I think this will change. If we can make them shoot a film in Turkey, others will follow.''
Representatives of U.S. movie world will depart from Turkey on October 12th.
(BRC-ULG) 08.10.2004