Submissions Open for “12 Punto 2026,” to Be Held for the 8th Time

Submissions have officially opened for 12 Punto 2026, which will be held for the eighth time this year by TRT. Submissions for Turkey’s largest script development and co-production platform can be made via www.trt12punto.com until February 12. This year, 12 Punto will also host the “12 Punto July 15 Short Film Project Competition,” organized specifically to mark the 10th anniversary of the July 15 coup attempt.

Organized by TRT with the aim of bringing new momentum to the cinema sector, 12 Punto 2026 once again welcomes submissions from feature-length and short film projects. Feature-length film projects whose main producer is Turkish, international feature-length film projects in which a Turkish producer participates as a minority partner, as well as short film projects, are eligible to submit. Submissions will remain open until 11:59 PM on Thursday, February 12, and must be completed via the submission form available at www.trt12punto.com.

Announcing the opening of submissions for 12 Punto 2026 on his social media account, TRT Director General Mehmet Zahid Sobacı stated:
“Submissions for 12 Punto 2026 have started. This year, within the scope of 12 Punto, we are organizing a Short Film Project Competition dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the July 15 Epic, aiming to make a strong contribution to Turkey’s collective memory through the universal language of cinema.”

Short Film Project Competition Dedicated to the 10th Anniversary of July 15

As part of 12 Punto 2026, the 12 Punto July 15 Short Film Project Competition will be held to mark the 10th anniversary of the July 15 coup attempt, which left a dark mark on Turkey’s democratic history, created a deep impact on collective memory, and became an epic symbol of civilian resistance. Following the submission deadline on February 12, the selected short film projects will be announced on April 12. After completing their production processes, the selected projects will be screened within the scope of 12 Punto 2026 on July 15, Democracy and National Unity Day.

The competition aims to reinterpret the July 15 coup attempt through the universal language of cinema and to convey the place of that night in Turkey’s recent history, as well as original human stories, through short films. Detailed submission requirements for the 12 Punto July 15 Short Film Project Competition are available under the Short Film Submission Guidelines at www.trt12punto.com.

Feature-Length and Short Film Projects to Be Considered

Following the evaluation of feature-length projects by a pre-jury consisting of distinguished Turkish directors, producers, and screenwriters, 12 finalist projects will be announced on April 12. An international jury composed of leading figures from world cinema will award 3 projects with the TRT Co-Production Award, 3 projects with the TRT Pre-Purchase Award, and 6 projects with the TRT Project Development Award. The award-winning projects will be announced at the 12 Punto 2026 Closing and Awards Ceremony, to be held on July 19.

Among the short film submissions, 6 projects will receive the TRT Short Film Production Award, with the winning projects also to be announced on April 12. The recipients of the TRT Short Film Production Award will take part in script development workshops led by internationally renowned cinema consultants during 12 Punto 2026 Week, held between July 12–19, in order to further develop their films.

Awards for International Co-Productions with Turkish Partners

International co-productions in which Turkish producers participate as minority partners are also eligible for submission to 12 Punto. Submissions for the TRT International Co-Production Award, which is open to feature-length film projects from around the world, must be made by the Turkish co-producer of the project. Awards will be presented to the winning projects at the awards ceremony on July 19. Through the TRT International Co-Production Award, a pathway is further opened for Turkish cinema to gain a truly international identity.

427 Projects Submitted Last Year

Each year, 12 Punto’s international jury is composed of some of the most influential figures in world cinema. In 2025, the international jury included acclaimed director Andrey Zvyagintsev, award-winning director Jessica Hausner, Golden Globe President Helen Hoehne, ARTE France Cinema Managing Director Olivier Père, and Palestinian-Egyptian actress Yasmine Al Massri. Last year, 12 Punto received a total of 427 submissions, including 110 feature-length projects in the main producer and international co-producer categories and 317 short film projects.

How Does the Submission Process Work for Feature-Length Projects at 12 Punto 2026?

Projects submitted to 12 Punto 2026 will be evaluated by a five-member pre-jury consisting of independent and professional figures from Turkish cinema. The teams behind the 12 finalist projects will take part in meetings with internationally renowned script consultants, presentation consultants, and production consultants during 12 Punto 2026 Week, to be held between July 12–19. They will then present their projects to an international jury made up of leading figures from the global film industry.

There are no restrictions regarding genre or subject matter. Feature-length project submissions must be made by a production company, while in the short film category, individual submissions are also accepted without the requirement of a production company.