9th Izmir Humor Festival Concludes: Cartoons, Cinema, and the Spirit of Aziz Nesin Unite in Efes Selçuk

The 9th Izmir Humor Festival, hosted by Efes Selçuk Municipality and organized in cooperation with the Intercultural Art Association and the Nesin Foundation, has successfully concluded after three days filled with cartoons, satire, cinema, and literature.

The festival brought together leading figures of Turkish humor and contemporary cartoon art, offering panels, exhibitions, film screenings, and workshops for both adults and children in Efes Selçuk.

Opening Ceremony and Aziz Nesin Humor Awards

The festival opened with official speeches, followed by the presentation of the Aziz Nesin Humor Awards.

This year’s awards were presented to:

• Canol Kocagöz
• Ohannes Şaşkal
• Gani Müjde

The awards were presented by Efes Selçuk Mayor Filiz Ceritoğlu Sengel.

Following the ceremony, writer, cartoonist, screenwriter, and director Gani Müjde shared his memories of Aziz Nesin, Oğuz Aral, and Ertem Eğilmez, describing Aziz Nesin as:

“The greatest humorist in Turkey’s history — a modern-day Nasreddin Hodja.”

Gani Müjde Introduces His New Book 

Immortal

During the talk, Gani Müjde also introduced his latest book, Immortal, which explores the theme of immortality.

He stated that the book was written as a tribute to the masters of Turkish humor and literature. After the session, Müjde signed copies for readers.

Literature, Cartoons, and Exhibitions

As part of the festival program, writer Bekir Yurdakul delivered a talk titled “Inner Journeys in Literature and Aziz Nesin”, sharing anecdotes and excerpts from Nesin’s works.

Following the talk, a cartoon exhibition featuring works by:

• Canol Kocagöz
• Gani Sunduri
• Ohannes Şaşkal

was officially opened to the public.

Panel: The Function of Cartoons

On the second day, the festival continued at Selçuk Efes City Memory Center with the panel “The Function of Cartoons.”

• Moderator: Turgut Çeviker
• Panelists: Canol Kocagöz, Menekşe Çam, Gani Sunduri, Ohannes Şaşkal

The discussion focused on the social role of cartoons, their power as tools of criticism, and their place in journalism and freedom of expression.

Film Screening: 

Bak Postacı Geliyor

Another highlight of the second day was the screening of Bak Postacı Geliyor (Here Comes the Postman).

Director Yüksel Aksu shared that the screenplay was inspired by his parents’ love story, saying:

“Watching this film here feels like watching it with my family and fellow townspeople.”

Cartoon Workshop for Children

The third day began with a Cartoon Workshop for Children at the Prof. Dr. İsmail Aka Library and Event Center, led by cartoon instructor Mustafa Yıldız.

During the workshop, children learned that cartoons are not just drawings, but powerful tools to express ideas, humor, and even objections within a single frame.

Yıldız emphasized the importance of introducing humor at an early age, stating:

“With just one line, you can stand up against injustice.”

The workshop combined colorful pencils, speech bubbles, and exaggerated expressions, encouraging children to think creatively while having fun.

Panels on Interdisciplinary Humor and Satire in the Media

The festival concluded with two important panels:

Interdisciplinary Humor Panel

• Moderator: Vecdi Sayar
• Panelists:
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Banu Ayten Akın
  • Serhan Yedig
  • Sculptor Mehmet Aksoy

Satire in the Media Panel

• Journalist-Writer Nazım Alpman
• Lütfü Dağtaş
• Salim Çetin

These sessions examined satire’s role across different disciplines, its relationship with the media, and its impact on collective memory.

Izmir Humor Festival: Thinking Through Cartoons

The 9th Izmir Humor Festival once again demonstrated that cartoons and satire are not only about laughter, but also about critical thinking.

Through exhibitions, panels, film screenings, and children’s workshops, the festival honored the legacy of Aziz Nesinwhile highlighting the enduring power of cartoon art as a form of social commentary.