JINHA

ISTANBUL – Algerian director Nassima Guessoum found the screening of her film invaded by police during the 13^thFilmmor traveling internationalwomen's film festival. "Welcome to Turkey," said Nassima, commenting on the incident.

During a screening of Nassima's film "Bastards" at the Rampa Café in Istanbul's Beyoğlu neighborhood, city police entered the screening room, claiming the screening did not have a permit and wanting to disperse the viewers. Police took photographs of the filmgoers.

Director Nassima says she became scared and began gathering her belongings, afraid that the police would confiscate her film. She says she was also in shock about the attack on the museum in Tunisia yesterday.

"Turkey looks like a free country, but I've seen that it’s not," said Nassima.

Festival coordinator Melek Özman says the festival has gotten all necessary permits from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, as they told the police.

"We told them arrest us if necessary, but we're not going to stop the screenings at the festival." She said it was only by calling municipal officials and parliamentary representatives that they were able to get the police to leave, an hour later.

(fk/mg/cm)