ANIMA
https://mubi.com/films/anima-2021
Essay Documentary
39′
Turkey, 2021
Director – Yusuf Emre Yalçın
Producers – Ezgi Selin Ülkü, Cemre Yılmaz, Yusuf Emre Yalçın
Camera & Editing – Yusuf Emre Yalçın
Production Company – Paspas Film
Anima explores the influence different cultures and beliefs have upon the relationships between humans and animals by travelling to different regions around Turkey and witnessing a range of events. Set against the backdrop of personal memories and dreams, Anima investigates the ideologies and rituals associated with sacredness and sacrifice.
The journey starts at a camel wrestling-cum-beauty contest in the Aegean region of Turkey. During this contest, Anima juxtaposes the attitudes of a patriarchal society with the director’s questioning of his own identity as he recollects his relationship with—and alienation from—his own community.
Anima then heads to Konya in Central Anatolia, populated almost entirely by conservative Muslim Turks. During the “Festival of the Sacrifice”, Anima follows the trajectory of a sacrificial ceremony, beginning at a live animal market and culminating with an Imam’s sermon. In the process, the director recounts childhood memories of a cow being sacrificed and questions of the dynamics of gender and species through the lens of his relationship with his father and religion.
The journey continues in the Dersim Region, inhabited mostly by Kurdish and Zazaki people. There, Anima observes a different belief system based on Zoroastrianism. While exploring different locations in Dersim that are considered sacred by locals, Anima follows the lives of a cow, a goat, a Zarathustra, and of several local villagers. From that point on, the lines between memories, dreams, reality, and fiction start to blur.
AWARDS:
- 40. Istanbul Film Festival, National Documentary Competition, Best Documentary Award, 2021.
SCREENINGS and nominations:
- 54. SIYAD Turkish Cinema Awards, Best Documentary Nominee, 2022.
- 9. Uşak Short Film Festival, Best Cinmatographer Nominee, 2022.
- 40. Istanbul Film Festival, National Documentary Competition, Official Selection, 2021.
- 14. Documentarist Istanbul Documentary Days, FIPRESCI Awards Nominee, 2021.
- ODTÜ Cinema Festival ’22, Official Selection, 2022.
- 74. Cannes Film Festival, European Film Market, Turkish Films Catalogue, 2021.
Barysphere
Documentary
30′
Yusuf Emre Yalçın
Turkey, 2018
Canadian visual artist Philippe Van Eetvelt goes to Turkey to produce an artwork for Sinop Biennial, Sinopale. While he was there, the 15th July Coup Attempt occurs and Sinopale is postponed until next year because of the chaotic situation of the country. One year later, he goes back to Sinop and he is confident about completing his installation. Yet he has concerns about his work as the exhibition opening approaches. As the production process proceeds, we witness how a pheripheric biennial functions and dive into a journey through an artist’s inner world.
Awards:
*4. Marmaris International Short Film Festival, Special Jury Award. 2018 (Turkey)
Nomınatıons:
*51. Siyad Turkish Cinema Awards, Short Documentary, Best Film Nominee
39. *IFSAK Short Film And Documentary Competition, Documentary Category, Finalist. 2019
Screenings
*11. Documentarist İstanbul Documentary Days, Turkey Panorama, Official Selection. 2018 (Turkey)
*2. Afsad Short Film Competition, Documentary Category, Finalist. 2018 (Turkey)
*6. Antakya International Film Festival, Documentary Category, Finalist. 2018 (Turkey)
*5. Uşak Winged Seahorse Film Festival, Official Selection, 2018. (Turkey)
*4. Marmaris International Short Film Festival, Documentary Category, Finalist. 2018 (Turkey)
*4. Aratos Documentary and Short Film Days, Tarsus, Screening. 2019 (Turkey)
Sisyphus
Short Film
10′
Yusuf Emre Yalçın
Turkey, 2017
Film starts to write its own scenario while the director is asleep. At the time it tries to bond with the character it has created, the character acts beyond its commands. Is this external touch comes from the director or it is because of the essence of the character. Character, Film, Director… Each of them questions their existence as individual subjects.
Screenings:
*15. International Tirana Film Festival 2017, Student Film Competition, Official Competition Selection (Albania)
*10. Yıldız Short Film Festival 2017, Screening. (Turkey)
*Blue Heeler Film Festival 2017, Screening. (Australia)
*1. AFSAD Short Film Competition 2017, Fiction Competition. ( Turkey )
*2. Trabzon Cinema Association, Short Film Screening Selection 2017. ( Turkey )
*3. Marmaris Short Film Festival 2017, Screening. (Turkey)
*2nd Berlin Experimental Film Festival 2017, Official Selection. (Germany)
*Freedom Film Festival 2018, Official Selection. (U.S.A)
*Holywood Serbia International Film Festival, Official Selection. 2019. ( Serbia )
Tarzan Kemal Story of a Citizen
Documentary
59′
Yusuf Emre Yalçın
Turkey, 2016
This is the story of a man who has dedicated his life to nature. A man who refused the system, who got rid of his clothes and money after his graduation of the college… He played his drum to make people aware of their own environment like Diogenes did with his lantern on the same land once. For some, he was insane while for some others he was a philosopher. The reason why he ended up with such a kind of life was a love story that is told. Is it so indeed?
Screenings:
*Society For Applied Anthropology 2nd Annual Film Festival 2017, Screening. (U.S.A.)
*Sustainable Life Film Festival 2016, Screening. (Turkey)
*11. Boston Turkish Documentary and Short Film Festival 2016, Finalist and Screening. (U.S.A.)
*Anatolia Tourism Documentary and Tourism Advertisement Films Competition, Documentary Category, Finalist. 2018 (Turkey)