Experimental Short Documentary, 15min, 2020
Osman Kavala, a leading figure in Turkey’s civil society, has been in custody in the largest high-security prison in Europe in Silivri since November 1, 2017. Prosecutors accused Kavala of organizing the “Gezi protests” in Istanbul. A verdict was only delivered on the 18 February 2020, when he was acquitted. But on the same day, the chief prosecutor of Istanbul demanded the continued detention in which he was accused of an involvement in the attempted coup d’état in 2016. If convicted, Osman Kavala faces life imprisonment without parole.
“Letters from Silivri” draws on letters of Osman Kavala to document a timeline of his imprisonment. By separating voice and image the film intends intends to create an echo chamber that allows audiences to listen more carefully to Kavalas letters, while at the same time place his words in context to a civil society.
Director Adrian Figueroa Producer Çiğdem Mater Director of Photography Meryem Yavuz Narrator Mustafa Avkıran Concept Tunçay Kulaoğlu VFX Artist Claud Jehu Music & Sound Design Miguel Toro Choreography Kadir „Amigo“ Memiş Art Director Ceyda Yüceer
Awards + Festivals:
66th International Short Film Festival Oberhausen
(Official Selection, German Competition, Germany)
16th ACHTUNG BERLIN- New Berlin Film Award
(Official Selection, Germany)
* PART OF THE PROGRAMME “EMERGING ARTISTS VOL. V – CONTEMPORARY EXPERIMENTAL FILMS & VIDEO ART FROM GERMANY 2020/2021“ (GERMAN FILMS & AG KURZFILM – GERMAN SHORT FILM ASSOCIATION)
IndieCork Festival 2020 (Official Selection, Cork, Ireland)
37. Kasseler Dokfest 2020 (Official Selection, Kassel, Germany)
18th Bogoshorts Film Festival (Official Selection, Bogota, Colombia)
34. Stuttgarter Filmwinter
Emerging-Artists-Programms
18° Festival internazionale Segni della Notte – Urbino, Italy
*NIGHT AWARD”
Clermont- Ferrand ISFF (Official Selection, 20th Lab Competition)
*Connexion Award
*Student Prize”
53. Siyad Award (Turkish Film Critics Association)
*Best Short Doc”
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