VTFF Short Films 2024
November 22 - 6:00 PMFirst Session
The Longest Night
Director : Can Merdan Doğan
Hüseyin, a family man, is forced to share a bed with his brother-in-law Firat, who happens to be staying overnight in their apartment. The weather is unbearably hot and Hüseyin’s “longest night” begins.
Cast :
Mustafa Kırantepe, Deniz Görkem Kaya, Hasibe Eren, Ceren Taşçı, Dilayda Güneş, Ezgi Coşkun
Running Time : 15 Min
Year : 2023
Awards / Nominations :
Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival,
The Consultant
Director : Mehmet Kanadlı, Halil İbrahim Kaplan
In the near future, each family is assigned advisors responsible for them in order to balance the population and resource consumption and maintain order. According to the law, the Consultant is the only person in the family who will make all decisions.
Cast :
İbrahim Cem Tek, Yasemin Öztürk, Özgür Özgülgün, Barış Can Çelik, Özge Sivrikaya, Serap Ağalar
Running Time : 10 Min
Year : 2024
Awards / Nominations :
-10th Sol International Film Festival, Best Screenplay, 2024-Spain
-15th 15 Minutes OF Fame Film Festival, Best Foreign Language Film, USA-2024 “
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-25th ShorTS International Film Festival, Italy, 2024
-25th Scrittura e Immagine International Film Festival, Italy, 2024
-17th Razor Reel Flanders Film Festival, Belgium, 2024
-19th Asto International Film Festival, Greece, 2024
-14th Farcume: Faro International Short Film Festival, Portugal, 2024
-14th Barichara Green Film Festival (FESTIVER), Colombia, 2024
-13th Beyond Film Festival, Germany, 2024
-13th Tuzla Film Festival, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2024
-12th International Itinerante Hacela Short Film Festival, Argentina, 2024
-9th Pori Film Festival, Finland, 2024
-7th Paribas Green Film Festival, Poland, 2024
-10th Short/Age-Shortfilms for a New Age, Portugal, 2024
-10th Pineda de Mar International Short Film Festival, Spain, 2024
-8th El Cecehachero International Film Festival, Mexico, 2024
-6th Melrose Film Festival, U.S.A, 2024
-3rd Itabaiana International Film Festival, Brazil, 2024
-3th Gemlik Film Festival, Türkiye, 2024
Kadikoy: Town of the Blind
Director : Arca Arseven
A short documentary about the life in Istanbul, Kadiköy as the city and the people intertwine.
Running Time : 6 Min
Year : 2021
Awards / Nominations :
CineSiege Winner for the “Best Short Documentary” – 2021
York Finish Line Winner for the “Best Short Documentary” – 2021
Premiered at TIFF Cinematique
The Bomb
Director : Onur Doğan
In the Balkan region, where lawlessness prevailed during the war, a man receives a threatening death letter from the gang he used to be a member of. Thereupon, he plans to escape to America with his pregnant wife. On the last night, after being threatened by the gang, the man leaves the house to persuade the gang members, but does not come back. Instead, an hour later, gang members enter the house. The gang leader starts a game in which he tells the woman that if she fulfills his wishes, she can see her husband again as a reward.
Cast :
Ece Bozkaya, Ozan Ayhan, Onur Doğan, Gözde Kocaoğlu
Running Time : 25 Min
Year : 2024
Awards / Nominations :
Best Horror Drama – Hollywood Horror Fest ’24 Best Scare Actor – Spooky Empire Horror Film Festival ’24 Best Actress – Oculto Film Festival ’24 Best Horror Short – Killer Valley Horror Film Festival ’24 Best Actress – Killer Valley Horror Film Festival ’24 Honorable Mention – Hollywood Blood Horror Film Festival ’24 Best Thriller Short – Makizhmithran International Film Festival ’24 Best Cinematography – The Supercell Entertainment Film Awards ’24
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• Best Actor (Ozan Ayhan) – FilmQuest ’24
• Best Foreign Short Film – FilmQuest ’24
• Best Actor (Ozan Ayhan) – Horrorhaus Film Fest’24
• Best Horror Short – Horrorhaus Film Fest’24
• Best Cinematography – Horrorhaus Film Fest’24
• Best Cinematography – Spooky Empire Horror Film Festival’24
• Best Makeup – Spooky Empire Horror Film Festival’24
• Best Screenplay – Spooky Empire Horror Film Festival’24
Spiral
Director : Utku Bancı
Zoe is found next to a dead body at her home and is arrested as the only person at the crime scene. She meets Dr. Jack, a crime psychologist, who suggests she undergo a hypnosis test called Spiral to recover her memories. During the hypnosis, Zoe uncovers repressed memories of her traumatic childhood, including her mother’s suicide. Ultimately, she recalls killing a man named David, who claims not to be her father, and her husband, Michael. Zoe realizes that her untreated childhood trauma led to this tragic
outcome.
Cast :
Gamze Karataş
Running Time : 10 Min
Year : 2024
Awards / Nominations :
The Bay International Film Festival(Semi-Finalist in Student Shorts)
Spooky Horror Film Festival(Official Selection)
Ficcmadero VII Edition (official selection)
SHORT FILM TALKS
November 22 – 7:30 PM
Join us for an exclusive session with filmmakers as they discuss the creative journey behind this year’s remarkable short films. Dive into the stories, inspirations, and challenges that brought these unique films to life! 🎥🌟
Don’t miss this chance to connect with the filmmakers and gain insights into their work. See you there!
Second Session
When The Shift Ends
Director : Erinç Durlanık
Hilal, who thinks that she started working at a call center where both Republican and Islamic works are sold via telemarketing, will try to sell to her first customer at the end of a busy working day full of orientation with experienced salesperson Pınar.
Cast :
Melis Ulaş, Begüm Alınca, S.Emrah Özdemir
Running Time : 19 Min
Year : 2023
Awards / Nominations :
2. International Miami Short Film Festival – Best Narrative Film
14. International Baku Short Film Festival – Best Director
11. International Silkroad Film Festival – Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress
18. Boston Turkish Film & Documentary Festival – Best Film Audience Award
44. IFSAK Short Film & Documentary Festival – Special Mention
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19th International Labour Film Festival – Official Selection
35. Munich Turkish Film Days – Official Selection
24. International İzmir Short Film Festival – Official Selection
14. Sinepark Short Film Festival – Finalist
2. Turkish Film Festival Berlin – Official Selection
10. International Uşak Short Film Festival – Finalist
4. Esenler Film Festival – Finalist
ITF Short Film Days – Finalist
Darağaç Film Festival – Official Selection
Fethiye Film Festival – Official Selection
3. Gemlik Film Festival – Finalist
Aegean Film Festival – Finalist
Minik, My Mother’s Short Story
Director : Mert İnan
My mother was taken out of the elementary school she had eagerly started, just as she was about to enter the first grade, and was sent to attend courses at the mosque. Due to family pressure, she had to go to the mosque until the age of 13. However, she had the opportunity to take exams afterwards thanks to a teacher who had Just moved to their neighbourhood. She completed her unfinished story by herself and obtained her elementary school diploma. “Minik, My Mother’s Short Story” is the tale of my mother’s childhood experiences, thoughts, and feelings that she has shared with me during our conversations.
Cast :
Münüre İnan
Running Time : 8 Min
Year : 2023
Awards / Nominations :
-11. Seattle Turkish Film Festival
-24.İzmir Short Film Festival
Cheers to the End
Director : Yiğit Hepsev
The world is coming to an end. Seher returns to hometown after a long time to save her father and brother. But she encounters a situation she didn’t expect. Her father insists on one last family dinner. In the midst of all this confusion, family ties will also be tested.
Cast :
Ahmet Mümtaz Taylan, İncinur Daşdemir, Arda Yeşillikçi
Running Time : 15 Min
Year : 2023
Awards / Nominations :
2024 – Best Fantasy Film – SİYAD Awards
2024 – Special Jury Mention – Baku International Film Festival
2024 – Best Fiction Film – İFSAK Short Film Festival
2024 – Best Director – Sinepark Short Film Festival
2024 – Best Production Design – Kaş International Short Film Festival
2023 – Best Actor – İzmir International Short Film Festival
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2024 – National Competition – İstanbul Film Festival
2024 – Official Selection – Thess International Short Film Festival
2024 – National Competition – Uşak International Short Film Festival
2024 – Official Selection – Kısadan Hisse Short Film Festival
2023 – National Competition – Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival
Passengers
Director : Bugra Mert Alkayalar
Every life is a journey with intersections at certain stops. One autumn night, a group of people awaited a trip at a station, one of these stops. However, they’ve all forgotten one truth. When a young man delves into the early night to find his fiancée, he will remember and remind the others.
Running Time : 14 Min
Year : 2023
Between Delicate and Violent
Director : Şirin Bahar Demirel
Can we see the violence of the painter’s hands in the brush strokes of his paintings? Could cross-stitch be an alphabet? ‘Between Delicate and Violent’ imagines unearthing traumatic memories that have not been included in family albums.
Running Time : 14 Min
Year : 2023
Awards / Nominations :
Best International Experimental Film Award at 7º International Women Filmmakers Festival. Izmir, Türkiye
Jury’s Special Mention at 20º Akbank International Short Film Festival. Türkiye
Audience Award at 16º Go Short – International Short Film Festival Nijmegen. Netherlands
Special Jury Prize at 43º Istanbul Film Festival. Türkiye
Special Mention at 16º Leiden Shorts Festival. Netherlands
Best Sound Design at DOCUMENTARIST 17º İstanbul Belgesel Günleri. Türkiye
Prix Expérience at 24° Un festival c’est trop court – European Short Film Festival of Nice. France
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-36th IDFA, Amsterdam, Short Documentary Competition,
-Salem Film Fest 2024, Jury Award Nominee, Massachusetts, USA
-29th É Tudo Verdade | It’s All True – International Documentary Film Festival, Int. Competition of Short-Length Documentaries, Brazil
-Kurzfilm Festival Hamburg, International Competition
-30th Sarajevo Film Festival, International Documentary Film Competition
Gukla
Director : Emine Uysal Berger, Özgür Ceylan
The Doll is a psychological thriller and horror film that focuses on the feelings of belonging to a city, in which three characters of different generations from Izmir meet by chance in an abandoned mansion.
Cast :
Müge Kizilbagli, Tomris Cetinel, Inci Sefa Cingoz, Sertel Ugur
Running Time : 20 Min
Year : 2024
Awards / Nominations :
-Istanbul Film Festival
-South East European Film Festival Los Angeles SEEFest
In His Fortress
Director : Yasemin Demirci
A young woman goes to clear out her father’s house shortly after his death and, during her time there, begins to feel intensely the ups and downs of the grieving process.
Cast :
Nezaket Erden, Doğu Can, Erdem Şenocak, Başak Kara, Hakan Emre Ünal
Running Time : 20 Min
Year : 2023
Awards / Nominations :
Uşak Short Film Festival; Best Script Award, İFSAK Short Film Festival; Best Second Fiction Film Award
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Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival,
Istanbul Film Festival, Akbank Short Film Festival,
Avyalık Film Festival, River Film Festival,
Accessible Film Festival,
International Women Filmmakers Festival,
Uşak Short Film Festival,
İFSAK Short Film Festival
The Loop of Ouroboros
Director : Derya Polat
In an unknown place and time, a female hero embarks on a journey to transcend societal norms and gender roles, overcoming a series of symbolic trials in the process, to reach her true self. “The Loop of Ouroboros” invites the audience into a narrative woven with mythology and symbols, prompting contemplation around themes of personal transformation, infinite cycles, and individuation. In this sense, this is an extraordinary short film that offers an exploration of the complexity of inner journeys.
Cast :
Gamze Karataş
Running Time : 14 Min
Year : 2023
Awards / Nominations :
Best Experimental – Montreal Women Film Festival