Students from the Departments of Visual Communication Design and Radio, Television and Cinema at the Faculty of Communication of Hasan Kalyoncu University (HKU) won two important awards at the Golden Wheel International Short Film Festival (MAFF), organised by MÜSİAD for the first time this year. Berkay Ellek, a final-year student in the Department of Visual Communication Design, was awarded “Best Artificial Intelligence Film” for his short film “Beyaz Güvercin” (White Dove), which he directed, while Enes Küçük, a graduate and master’s student of the Department of Radio, Television and Cinema, received an award in the “Best Student Film” category with his short film “NâN”.
Noting that students of the faculty have won awards in many national and international competitions to date, including the Golden Cocoon, HKU Vice-Rector and Dean of the Faculty of Communication Prof. Dr. Gül Rengin Küçükerdoğan said: “We are very happy with our students’ successes. I congratulate all our teachers who contributed to this success and our students who placed among the winners.”
Receiving his award from MAFF Festival Advisor, Producer and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Istanbul Ticaret University İsrafil Kuralay, and speaking about the production process of the film, Enes Küçük said: “Making films as a student is quite difficult; both finding a budget and bringing together people who believe in the project require serious effort. I thank my department teachers and friends who were by my side during this process, especially creative producer Melisa Yavuz and executive producer Kerem Akdoğan. We made a co-production with three businesspeople, and without their support it would not have been possible for me to bring this story to life. I express my gratitude to everyone who supports art.”
Receiving his award from General Manager of Cinema Birol Güven, Berkay Ellek said: “I thank MÜSİAD for organising this wonderful festival and hosting us, and the esteemed jury members. With my film ‘Beyaz Güvercin’, I wanted to raise awareness by telling, through the eyes of a child, the drama taking place in Palestine, which the world ignores. I thank my producers Meral Özgen and Emir Türk, who believed in me when I did not even have a screenplay yet, Melike Çelik, who put great effort into every scene of the film, and my esteemed teachers at the Faculty of Communication of Hasan Kalyoncu University, who always support me.”
