STFF Shorts 2016 proudly announces the top 10 finalist films!
We are so glad to receive 300+ submissions! We would like to thank to all applicants.
Our short film committee spent great amount of time to see every submitted film and long and exciting conversations afterward. We can confess that it was really hard to choose top 10 finalists. After all, it was a great pleasure to us.
The winner film is "The Obsolete One" this year. Hakan Hücum, the director of the winner film will be flown to and hosted in Seattle during the festival as our guest.
These 10 films will be screened in short films session during the festival that will take place on 4-20 November. Also, expect more surprises about short films at the festival!
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Congratulations to the directors, actors and actresses and anyone who gave effort to make it happen these top 10 films that are listed below! Thank you for the participation of all directors who are submitted their films to the competition.
Winner :
THE OBSOLETE ONE / BÃœST
HAKAN HUCUM | TURKEY | 2016
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A brand new bust (is M.K. Ataturk’s who is the founder of the republic of Turkey) is brought to a small village. State officials who brought it forget to take back the obsolete one. The only teacher at the village school, Seref, assigns the duty of protecting the old one to the janitor Izzet. This burden will lead Izzet’s life to an impasse.
GUEST / MÄ°SAFÄ°R
AHMET BIKIC | TURKEY | 2016
The aim of this documentary is to reflect the lives of Syrian refugees and the camps in which they have been living in for approximately in since the civil war in Syria began. This document of those who have fled their homes and what they hope for when the war ends.
THE BARN / AHIR
HAZAL KARA | TURKEY | 2016
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The journey originally stemming from an old crippled guy looking for his missing sheep, turns into one that carries him through the traumatic days of serving for the nation in Southeast Turkey. The old man is no longer a shepherd, but a young warier from his days of service.
MAVERA
VEDAT OYAN | TURKEY | 2016
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In 1990s, approximately 17 thousand unidentified murders were committed in Turkey. The perpetrators of these murders were organizations called "JITEM" and counterinsurgency, whose existence was proven, but who were not recognized by the state. The murderers were driving "Renault 12" – also named Renault Toros in Turkey, which became a symbol for unidentified murders. The film compares the production purposes of the vehicle in France and its uses in Turkey.
1st Runner Up:
MRS. NEBILE'S WORMHOLE / NEBİLE HANIM'IN SOLUCAN DELİĞİ
PINAR YORGANCIOGLU | TURKEY | 2016
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If walls could talk... Bored with her own domestic routine in Southern Germany, a middle-aged Turkish housewife digs a secret tunnel into the house next-door.
PENANCE / KEFARET
ALI KISLAR | TURKEY | 2016
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Celal and his family lost their father. This unexpected lost brings all the family together. In the funeral process, they realise that the grave is full of water. During that time, a nice lady in her 60’s, whom they don’t know, points to a near grave. And that grave is dry. Celal makes his way to graveyard watchman with the old lady to negotiate about the dry grave.
KITE / UÇURTMA
SERDAL ALTUN | TURKEY | 2016
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Mustafa and Baran are two brothers living at the border of Syria. Mustafa who was scared a lot of war planes learned that planes killed people and his fear was replaced with anger. When one day he took his older brother’s word “When kites fly too high, they will hang to planes.” serious, an idea comes to his mind.
2nd Runner Up:
SOUTH POLE / GÃœNEY KUTBU
EMIN AKPINAR | TURKEY | 2016
Muhsin a retired, simple man. Lives in an old house with his wife. One day, when he watches the news on television; he sees his own mugshot. The reporter claims that Muhsin is the head of a terrorist group, and he is going to be killed during the protests that day…
SOUND'S OF ISTANBUL / Ä°STANBUL'UN SESÄ°
GOKHAN OCAL | TURKEY | 2015
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Today, Mehmet Tamdeger continues the legacy of his master Mikael Zilcan. Although he lost his one eye at the age of 11 only, through his perseverance to work, now produces the cymbals for many renowded drummers. He introduced the Turkish cymbals to the world and created a well-known brand. At the present time, unique handmade pieces of Istanbul cymbals are still produced with traditional methods.
TO THE SEA / DENÄ°ZE
UFUK CAVUS | TURKEY | 2016
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A long bedridden disease of Yunus led to the flourishing of new feelings between his wife Emine and his brother Adem. They are about to make a decision in the middle of a journey that they take Yunus to be get cured.
STFF SHORTS
2016
TEAM
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Ozgur Arman
Rana San
M. Burak Senol
STFF SHORT FILM COMPETITION 2016 JURY MEMBERS
Selim Sirri Kuru
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Associate Professor at Near Eastern Languages and Civilization Department at the University of Washington
He is currently the chair of this department and the director of Persian and Iranian Studies and Ottoman and Turkish Studies Programs. He got his Ph.D. degree in Near Eastern Languages and Civilization from Harvard University in 2000.He is the director of the Turkish Studies Program at the UW and actively involved in the Graduate School Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Near and Middle Eastern Studies. Kuru is among the founders of the Ottoman Studies Foundation and run the Intensive Ottoman and Turkish Summer Program in Cunda, Ayvalık, Turkey, where he has been teaching Ottoman Turkish paleography. Dr. Kuru′s work focuses on Ottoman 14th-16th centuries Anatolian literary history, genres with respect to the topic of love and its place in the elite Ottoman society. His recent publications include a chapter in Cambridge History of Turkey, Vol. 2 on Anatolian Turkish Literature during the period 1453-1600 and another chapter on homoeroticism in Anatolian elite literary traditions which is published in Italian.
Dana Cozmei
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ARCS (American Romanian Cultural Society)
Dana Cozmei is a Principal Program Manager at Microsoft with many years of experience in complex project management, software development and testing. In her free time, she is promoting Romanian traditions within Romanian community, and sharing those values with American friends, through ARCS (American Romanian Cultural Society). A native of Romania, Dana brings to ARCS her firsthand knowledge of the contemporary art scene and living cultures of her birthplace, and not only.
Michael Nassirian
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SIFF Iranian Film Initiative
Senior Executive, Quality Architect, and Leader with over 30 years of experience building and inspiring teams that delight customers with innovative solutions spanning many emerging and existing technologies in US and International market. After receiving his Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from University of Texas Michael started his career at Texas Instrument where he led various teams in designing and delivering ASIC chip set used in Military applications, later on Michael took the leadership in delivering advanced processors used in SPARC stations. Michael joined Microsoft in 1997 where he held many leadership positions including managing Microsoft Office International quality development for more than 9 years. He then joined Microsoft Windows Division where he managed quality teams delivering Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 along with many other deliverables such as Surface and IOT line of products. His last three years at Microsoft Michael worked as Partner Quality Manager and Architect in Windows Analog Division where he played a major role in developing HoloLens. Michael is a serial entrepreneur with proven track record in disruptive technologies. He’s passionate about learning new technologies and consider himself life-long student, researcher, challenging the unknown, and explorer. After 19 year Michael recently left Microsoft to pursuer future challenges in Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality world. He is currently involved in training, consulting, developing, and innovation in Mixed Reality technologies in many industries such as Construction, Medical, Automotive, manufacturing, and e-commerce.
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