How Beautiful Istanbul is Today (a.k.a Poster People)
short video by Belmin Söylemez, Hasmet Topaloglu

A short film about how election posters can change the face of a city.
Istanbul is dressed with posters, banners and flags on the eve of the local elections. They cover the walls like a uniform. Rallying buses stroll through the streets playing campaign songs. The images of the candidates are everywhere, they appear with plastic smiles and slogans, some demanding, some emotional. It is as if we vote for poster people instead of real candidates.

Festivals

"Shoot Me Film Festival", The Hague, Netherlands 2005
"Hamburg International Short film Festival" Hamburg, Germany 2006
"EcoFilms Festival" Rhodes,Greece 2006

The Picture of My Life

video documentary by Belmin Söylemez

This is the picture of your life.
How do you pose ? What do you wear ?
Someone beside you ? Or just alone ?
Do you like having your picture taken ?
Do you have a favourite photo of yourself ?
How did you look ?

a co-project together with photographer Orhan Cem Çetin and the inhabitants
of the courtyard, Sahkulu str, Galata for Oda Projesi "Oda meetings"
8.International Istanbul Biennial.

Windows

short video by Belmin Soylemez

The daily life in a courtyard located at the old neighbourhood of Galata.
This video was shot for "Oda Projesi" for their exhibition entitled
"Exchange&Transform" Kunstverein München, Germany in 2002.

Other Screenings

"6th du Grain a de Moudre Film Festival" France, 2005
17.Europaische Kulturtage-"Filme von Belmin Soylemez" Kinematek Karlsruhe,
Karlsruhe, Germany 2004
"Filme von Belmin Soylemez" Kinematek Freiburg, Freiburg Germany 2004"Belmin Soylemez Retrospective"-Istanbul International Short Film Festival Istanbul, 2004

Short Video
Duration 10 minutes
2002

The Nymph co- directed by Elvan Kivilcim

Office clerk Dicle seeks happiness through a fortune-teller's guidance.

Co-writtten, Co-Produced, Co-Directed by Elvan Kivilcim
Betacam video, 25', 2002

MISSING BIRD by Melis Birder

A moment in the history is traced with the individual histories of the New
Yorkers. Missing Bird takes September 11 tragedy which will be forever
remembered and reconstructs not the event itself but its repercussions on few
New Yorkers: Afghani, Turkish, Moroccan, Palestinian, Syrian, inhabitants of
the city. The thread of the documentary places these individuals in the
redrawn cultural geography of New York. How was it living here before and
what changed after 9/11? How did and how does it feel to be a New Yorker
from an`other' culture? How that otherness is now deeper inscribed on the
mostly immigrant population after this date? Especially on the Arab and
Muslim population.
Produced by Community Counseling and Mediation

Waves

short film by Belmin Soylemez

"When you see the sea for the first time,
What do you think ?
Are you lost for words ?"

If you walk along the Bosphorus in Istanbul during the summer, you will
come across a lot of boys -mostly in their teens, some older- jumping, and pushing each other into the sea, regardless of the strong currents or the pollution.

"Waves" is a film about seeing the sea for the first time,
and learning to swim in the deep waters of the Bosphorus.
Diving into the unknown, into the city and perhaps into life itself.

Awards

"Best Fiction Film" IFSAK Short Film Competition, Istanbul Short Film Festival, 2002

"Best Film" Cine-5 TV Channel Short Film Competition, 2001

"Special Mention" Milano International Short Film Festival, 2002

"Special jury prize" Antalya Film Festival, Antalya Turkey 2001

Festivals-Screenings

17.Europaische Kulturtage-"Filme von Belmin Soylemez" Kinematek Karlsruhe , Germany 2004

"Filme von Belmin Soylemez" Kinematek Freiburg, Germany 2004

"Milano International Short Film Festival", Milan, Italy 2002

"Street Life" Film Festival, Berlin 2002

"1st Istanbul International Independent Film Festival", Istanbul, Turkey 2002

"Istanbul International Short Film Festival" IFSAK Short Film Competition-Istanbul, 2001

"Antalya Film Festival" Antalya, Turkey, 2002

Exhibitions


"Call me Istanbul" , ZKM Zentrum fur Media und Kunst - Karlsruhe, Germany 2004

ZAP !

by Belmin Soylemez

experimental

Soner loses his best friend Shifo and looks for him in the streets of Istanbul.

Awards

"Best Film" BIL'S Short Film Competition, Istanbul, Turkey 2001

"Best Experimental" Antalya Film Festival, Short Film Competition, Turkey 2001

"Best Experimental" IFSAK Short Film Competition, Istanbul Short Film Festival, 2001

"Best Experimental" Cine-5 TV Channel Short Film Competition, 2000

Festivals-Screenings

17.Europaische Kulturtage-"Filme von Belmin Soylemez" Kinematek Karlsruhe Germany 2004

"Filme von Belmin Soylemez" Kinematek Freiburg, Germany 2004

"Istanbul International Short Film Festival" IFSAK Short Film Competition-Istanbul, 2001

"Antalya Film Festival" Antalya, Turkey, 2001

"9. London Turkish Film Festival" London, 2001

STATE OF SLEEP

by Belmin Soylemez

We sleep to forget, but dream to remember.
State of Sleep is an experimental short film about dreams
and the unconscious.

Awards

"Best Experimental" Ankara Film Festival, Short film Competition, Turkey 2000

"Best Experimental" IFSAK Short Film Competition, Istanbul Short Film Festival, 2000

"Special Mention" Cine-5 TV Channel Short Film Competition, 1999

Festivals-Screenings

17.Europaische Kulturtage-"Filme von Belmin Soylemez" Kinematek Karlsruhe, Germany 2004

"Filme von Belmin Soylemez" Kinematek Freiburg, Germany 2004

"Open Eyes Film Festival" Marburg, Germany 2000

"Ankara Film Festival" Short film Competition, Turkey 2000

"Istanbul International Short Film Festival" Turkey 2000

"8. London Turkish Film Festival" London, 2000

"Turkish Film Festival" New York, USA 2000

The Word Escapes Me

a 13-minute audio documentary, for Parole Exhibition at PS1 Contemporary Art Museum in New York, that traces the journey of five New Yorkers whose native cities are Tehran, Prague, Istanbul, Goslar and Kingston by Berke Bas
2001