Films about Conscience project aims to expose the different colours of conscience via short films produced by both amateurs and professionals. The project hosts 263 short films, more than 7,000 members and thousands of visitors every year since 2010 through the web site and invites everyone who can grab a camera to shoot a short film for five minutes at most, with the motto of “Let’s take a look through our conscience.”
In 2012, in the third year of the project, 22 films selected by Alin Taşçıyan, Arzu Başaran, Eric Bogosian, Hülya Uçansu, Marco Bechis, Rakel Dink, Reha Erdem and Robin Kirk were put together in a DVD. All these films were announced on Human Rights Day, December 10th. They were screened at the International Istanbul Film Festival, Gaziantep International Zeugma Film Festival, Rome Italian Turkish Film Festival, Yerevan International Film Festival, ASIATICA Film Festival, International Short Film Festival in Drama-Greece and many universities.
Apart from the Films about Conscience selected by the International Jury, three directors of Films about Conscience from the 2012 and 2013 editions were awarded cinema scholarships. Şükriye Arslan and Ufuk Erden were granted YAPIMLAB scholarship supported by Zeyno Film, which is founded by Zeynep Özbatur Atakan – a prominent producer representing Turkey in international platforms. During the 24-week workshop, participants were informed about basic production methods in the first 16 weeks and then will take part in the specific workshop tailored according to their own interests. By the end of the YAPIMLAB workshop, participants received YAPIMLAB certificates.
In 2013, the films also hosted an event as part of the International Istanbul Film Festival, in cooperation with IKSV. Films about Conscience was celebrated at an Happy Hour organised at the Cezayir Meeting Hall within the framework of the Festival and brought together many directors, jury members as well as the guests of the International Istanbul Film Festival.
The fourth edition of the project started on March 31st, and ended on December 10th, on Human Rights Day. From March 31st to November 11th, a total of 37 conscience-themed short films were uploaded on website by producers and filmmakers from Turkey and abroad. Between these dates, thousands of people from all over the world watched the uploaded films and most of them rated, commented and shared these films. The international jury, comprising of Ahmet Boyacıoğlu, Cem Mansur, Petros Markaris, Rakel Dink, Susanna Harutyunyan, Thomas Balkenhol and Yeşim Ustaoğlu evaluated the films as well. The top 20 films selected by the votes of the international jury were announced on December 10th. The results were shared with the print and broadcast media. Additionally, two directors will be awarded with a cinema scholarship. Fatih Pınar who shot a documentary of Gezi Resistance ‘Hakan Yaman’ and Ufuk Erden who directed ‘Tik-Tak Tak-Tik’ about organ transplant will be awarded with a cinema scholarship.
Top 20 films listed below put under their lens the issues of nationalism in resistance, education, militarism, heterosexism, conscience, organ transplant and many others. The selected films will be collected in a DVD and meet viewers in various festivals.
You can reach the DVDs of Films About Conscience at Hrant Dink Foundation.
