DREAMER, 10min,. USA
Directed by Balca Elif Sagmanli
In an effort to fall asleep, a young woman, Audrey, struggles through the entrapment of a dream-like state where she encounters the various challenges of time past, time present, and time future.

https://instagram.com/dreamer2023shortfilm

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

The motivation behind the making of DREAMER was my quest to explore the themes of dreams/nightmares, sleep, isolation/absence, memories/fantasies, time, cyclical experiences, and out-of-this world experimental imagery/concepts. On a certain level, it is a personal film that encompasses self-exploration and my fascination for time and presence.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

The initial idea of this film stretches back to a short film that I made with my best friend in high school. This concept has been in the back of my mind for as long as I can remember. In undergrad, I wrote and shot a different version of DREAMER. I never ended up finishing it because I knew that it was not the version that I aspired to share with the world. This all led to DREAMER becoming my thesis film at UCLA. I do wonder if I will ever continue to revisit these concepts and/or make a different version of it in the future.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

Cyclical dreamstate.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

The biggest obstacle that I faced in completing this film was my actually my cinematography research for my thesis, which was the exploration of how 35mm analog film works together with the digital 5K Full Format that I used. It was an interesting editing process as well because I had to decide when, why and how to use both of the formats.

The cinematography research explored the communication of both analog and digital formats in order to figure out if they would communicate different intentions and/or can be integrated organically. The film is a result of this narrative and technical integration. The intention of this film is to evoke dream-like, surreal, and calming emotions by creating a psychedelic and ethereal experience. Along with the film’s premise, the technical integration of two different formats of cameras allows this film to display its unique style and sensibility, and distinct aesthetic.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

It was extremely helpful to hear feedback from an audience that had never seen, or heard of my film before. I think that more festivals should try to implement this feature because it is rare to hear direct audience feedback outside of film schools.

Balca Elif Sağmanlı

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

This will sound a bit cliché, but I have loved watching films ever since I was a kid. In middle school, I told my aunt that I wanted to make films (even though I had no idea what this meant yet). In high school, I took a film class, and that is when I knew that I had to continue making films.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

This is such an interesting question! I think that I have seen Mean Girls the most. It is a bit of a cult classic film amongst my friends, and we watched it a lot in middle school/high school.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

I think that providing the opportunity of an interview is extremely helpful for student filmmakers, and more festivals should implement interviews. It would be great if the filmmakers could meet in-person at the festival to watch each other’s films.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

It has been a seamless experience so far.

10. What is your favorite meal?

My favorite meal is a dish from Turkey called mantı (Turkish dumplings). It is the first thing that I eat when I am home in Istanbul, Turkey.

11. What is next for you? A new film?

I am currently working on writing another short experimental film, and making a guitar centric/experimental music album (since I enjoyed playing guitar on the soundtrack of DREAMER).