Turkish short films
Guest Lecturer: Serdar Öztürk
Intrudoctury Remarks: Philosophy Through Short Films (ENG)
Selector: Serdar Öztürk
Prof. Dr. Serdar Öztürk is a professor at Hacı Bayram Veli University in Ankara, specializing in film history, sociology, and philosophy. He is the author of seven books—including CinePhilosophy: The Journey into Kurosawa’s Dreams—and numerous articles, with a primary focus on film philosophy. He is the founder of the journal CinePhilosophy, the Film and Philosophy Association, and the International Festival of Philosophical Films in Turkey. He shares his expertise across various classical and modern media platforms.
From the Introductory Remarks: Philosophy begins with questions: “What can I know?” “What should I do?” “How should I live?” These are not merely academic—they are lived questions. Short films, in their distilled form, sharpen thought. They strip away narrative clutter and dive deep into human experience. These are not just stories; they are encounters.
in collaboration with
(May 25 / 18:00) TRADITION
(May 25 / 18:00) DANG
(May 25 / 18:00) I HAVE JUST
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(May 25 / 18:00) TRADITION
May 25 (Sunday) 18:00
Cinematheque
TRADITION (Teamül, 2023)
dir. Ali Riza Bayazit, TR, 15’
Salim, a junkdealer, sets out on a journey to find the lost cat of a tailor named Adem, whom he has just met. In order to keep his memory alive, he will have to raise his voice against tradition. Literally.
From the Introductory Remarks
“The film sets up a confrontation between morality (rigid, rule-based, molar) and ethics (situational, fluid, molecular). When a beloved Christian shopkeeper dies, the townspeople want to commemorate him over the mosque loudspeaker. The imam resists—it’s not customary. But people act based on experience, not on law. They lived with this man. Their relationship is real, human, and ethical.” -
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(May 25 / 18:00) DANG
May 25 (Sunday) 18:00
Cinematheque
DANG (Dank, 2023)
dir. Tuvana Simin Günay, TR, 16’
Nergis is a young woman living alone. She buys a second-hand washing machine from a junk shop and brings it home with the help of a porter named Süleyman. When the porter grows tired from carrying the machine, Nergis sympathizes with his struggle and begins to treat him with warmth. This opens the space for unexpected emotions, doubts, and dilemmas.
From the Introductory Remarks
“Film philosopher Siegfried Kracauer writes that everyday life conceals the world. But film, as a form of aletheia, reveals it. And indeed, in It Dawns on Me, the camera uncovers what social politeness tries to hide: fear, vulnerability, and distance.” -
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(May 25 / 18:00) I HAVE JUST
May 25 (Sunday) 18:00
Cinematheque
I HAVE JUST (Benim de, 2023)
dir. Ece Akalın Alagöz, TR, 14’
A taxi driver who has recently lost his son longs to share his grief. But no one wants to listen. A modern adaptation of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov’s short story Grief.
From the Introductory Remarks
“The pain of a son's death plunges the father into a melancholic state, which Freud contrasts with mourning. Mourning accepts the loss and moves on. Melancholy clings to the object, turning the pain inward. The father does not cry; he cannot. His grief transforms his face into what Deleuze calls an affective image—a face that reveals emotion beyond action or narrative.” -
