Ultra short films to occupy the public space

ISTANBUL

Packing a punch into just half a minute, ultra-short films aren’t coming to a theater near you, but somewhere even closer: Everywhere in the urban space.

Until Feb. 15, 25 short films as part of the Art By Chance Ultra Short Film Festival will be screened in more than 200 cities and more than 20 countries around the world in public spaces usually occupied by commercial advertising, including airports, train and bus stations, plazas, cultural institutions, university campuses, restaurants and bars, as well as shopping malls, integrating art into the urban fabric of the city.

“This festival provides emerging filmmakers and artists with all levels of experience the chance to broadcast their work to a global audience. It is amazing to see the variety and creativity in this year’s pool of submissions,” said Hatice Çağlar, director of Art By Chance.

This year films, which are 30 seconds in length and organized around the theme of “discovery,” were submitted from 48 countries including Azerbaijan, India, Malaysia, Sweden, Tanzania, the United States, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Germany and Brazil.

“The selection of films was a unique mix of some of the most creative and experimental short-form storytelling from around the globe. Bold themes such as love, life, environment, self-reflection and discovering the great world around us emerged from this year’s group of films,” said Ryan Harrington, vice president of artist programs for the Tribeca Film Institute.

In addition to Harrington, the jury for the fifth edition includes Dick Cook, film executive and producer, previously Chairman of the Walt Disney Studios; Neşet Dereli, interactive marketing and communications manager at Turkish Airlines; photographer and filmmaker Tim Georgeson; Richard Raskin, co-founder of the Multiform Storytelling and Production Program at VIA University College in Denmark and editor of Short Film Studies; Nick Roddick, film journalist and course director at MA Film Curating at the London Film School; and Johanna von Fischer, director of the Independent British Film Awards.

During the festival, one film will be chosen by public vote via discoverartbychance.com. The winning filmmaker will receive a round-trip flight to any Turkish Airlines flight destination.
For a full list of screening locations, visit artbychance.org.

About Art By Chance

Art By Chance is based in Istanbul and was founded in 2009 by Hatice Çağlar and Yener Özgür Özaydın. Presenting 30-second-long films in public spaces around the world, Art By Chance offers the general public a reprieve from the commercial advertising that would otherwise occupy these spaces, and urges passersby to observe, reflect and engage with art. The festival features an open call for submissions with a jury of film and art professionals curating the final selection, and engages a wide variety of emerging filmmakers and digital artists, giving them an international public platform for experimentation and creativity.

Selected films

The films to be screened include Abigail Prade, “Witness” (Netherlands); Alexii Muftoll, “An Issue” (Israel); Cana Sakaoğlu - Ebru Gümrükçüoğlu - Emre Akyiğit, “Rokkkeet” (Turkey); Chloe Feldman Emison, “Neck” (United States); Clemens Purner, “Bhutan” (Austria); Daniel Farfan Salazar, “Ballad For The Sea” (Peru); David Köhlmeier, “Just A Matter Of Time” (Austria); Deniz Tarsus - Ethem Onur Bilgiç, “Eclipse” (Turkey); Design Foundation Istanbul, “Midyat” (Turkey);  Geoff Tompkinson, “Chicago - Toccata & Fugue,” (United Kingdom); Georgi Krastev, “Rediscover The Summer” (Bulgaria); Giuseppe Lama, “∞ (The Space Between Atoms)” (U.K.); Hunter Gulan, “Discover Yourself” (U.S.); Julien Masson, “Shape – Shifter” (U.K.); Katie Torn, “Breathe Deep” (U.S.); Mark Bellusci, “Book it!” (U.S.); Mauricio Thomsen, “The Adventures of Amanda” (Brazil); Narjis Mirza, “Discover Step By Step” (Pakistan); Nicholas Stavros Livanos, “Letters” (U.S.); Omar Khalifa, “Walkthrough” (Qatar); Orhan Sayın, “The Rock” (Turkey); Paul Druce, “Kathmandu” (Germany); Robert Kaczmark, “Salve Regina” (U.S.); Stephen Ausherman, “New Species” (U.S.) and Şükrü Özçelik, “Fish” (Turkey).