Elif Dağdeviren's Directional First Try "Hope Game" Had Its Premiere At Golden Orange
Known for her journalist, producer and speaker identities, Elif Dağdeviren’s first directorial experience, “Umut Oyunu”, met with the audience for the first time at the festival. Directed by Dağdeviren, the short film stars İclal Aydın and Giray Altınok.
Known as a journalist, producer and speaker, Elif Dağdeviren was hosted at the 61st International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival this time as a director. Dağdeviren’s first attempt at directing, the short film “Umut Oyunu”, was shown to the audience for the first time at the AKM Perge hall. The film’s director Elif Dağdeviren, one of the leading actors İclal Aydın and director of photography Önder Şengül attended the talk that took place after the film.
The film, produced by Feniks Film Didem Karakum and written by Sercan Sarıkaya, was screened after the screening, and director Elif Dağdeviren and Önder Şengül, who is the director of photography and also participated in the festival’s main competition with the film he directed, held a talk with the audience.
Speaking at the talk after the film, Dağdeviren said, “I watched our film on the big screen for the first time. At the very end of the film, there was a text: This film belongs to beautiful people who come running and without expecting anything in return for the work and people they believe in and trust.” Dağdeviren explained this sentence as follows:
“Since my childhood, when they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always said director or screenwriter. So much so that my father’s primary school graduation gift was a typewriter. My passion was to write screenplays, but first journalism, the internet, then production, and the process got a little longer. Still, I kept educating myself. I have been working with my producer friend Didem Karakum for many years. Didem gave me the chance to make this film on my birthday. She had the script written and arranged the crew. She said, ‘Everything is ready, you just have to choose the actors.’ I was shocked. Everyone who worked on this film came running without making any demands, some with the good hearts that came from Didem’s friendship and some from working together.”
Dağdeviren explained how she included the leading actors as follows: “I think İclal Aydın is one of the best writers in Turkey. When I talk about her, I always start with her writing. But she is also my life partner, my friend. In fact, she did not turn me down and came. At that time, we were also working on a film with Giray Altınok. I asked if he would play. Thank God, he didn’t turn me down. You know Giray with his humor, but here he made a completely different and magnificent play. Iclal and I are also funny. Our scriptwriter Sercan Sarıkaya actually writes with a lot of humor, but as you can see from his pen and then from us, a very difficult work came out. If Önder hadn’t been there, a completely different work could have come out. Önder was the one who gave this spirit.”
Dağdeviren: “Short Film is an Art Field”
Elif Dağdeviren also touched on short films and shared the following thoughts:
“Actually, the subject of this interview is “Mainstream of the New Age: Short Film”. I think short films are an art field in their own right. Some, including those who make short films, perceive short films as a transition to long films. True; it may be safer to gain experience in short films. However, it should not be forgotten that this is a main art form. Especially in the era of short films like YouTube and TikTok, short films have become the cinema of new generations. Quality viewing satisfaction will be with strong shorts.” Dağdeviren also thanked the Festival Director Deniz Yavuz and concluded his words as follows: “Due to some setbacks in my life, I could not finish the version that I was happy with, so this film could not see the light of day for a very long time. Then Deniz Yavuz became the festival director and I was really happy. While loyalty is now a word that is unfortunately forgotten, he invited me to the festival with all his kindness. I wanted to contribute while I was here. He gave me this opportunity by trusting me and the film and honored me very much from the moment I arrived. I thank him very much.”
Şengül: “It Was a Great Pleasure to Work with Elif Hanım”
Önder Şengül, who also competed for the Golden Orange with the film ‘Whale’s Knowledge’, which he directed, shared the following about ‘Umut Oyunu’, where he worked as a director of photography, and his work with director Dağdeviren: “When I read the script, there was a story about a man confronting himself. An atmosphere had already formed in my mind. Before that, we sat down with Elif Hanım and talked and she gave me this courage. It was a great pleasure to work with Elif Hanım, because it is difficult to make progress as a director of photography with some directors, especially those who are indecisive. But here, I had someone who was very determined but gentle and masterful. We shot a 2-day job in 1 day.”