detours while speaking of monsters

Forum Expanded 2024

A 4000-year-old aquatic monster is rendered invisible in present-day Turkey. Its myth dates back to the ancestors of Armenians and Kurds around Lake Van, a region that witnessed the ethnic cleansing of both peoples. However, the monster remains somewhat alive in the tales of the inhabitants, resisting falling entirely into oblivion. In this blue landscape, on the crossroads of mythological, political and personal realms, different forms of erasure are concealed. Meanwhile, old gods are upset with us, and I am upset with my father.

by Deniz Şimşek
with Emin Şimşek Germany / Turkey 2024 Turkish 18’ Colour World premiere | Documentary form

With

Emin Şimşek

Crew

Director	Deniz Şimşek
Screenplay	Deniz Şimşek
Cinematography	Mónica Martins Nunes, Deniz Şimşek
Editing	Mónica Martins Nunes, Deniz Şimşek
Sound Design	Christian Obermaier
Sound	Deniz Şimşek, Mónica Martins Nunes
Dramaturgy	Philipp Fröhlich
Producer	Deniz Şimşek

Deniz Şimşek

Deniz Şimşek studied film and art in Istanbul and Berlin. Delving into the intricate interplay between socio-political phenomena and personal fragments, she seeks to unearth obscure connections that thread through seemingly unrelated subject matters. Through her artistic practice, she experiments with narrative tools reminiscent of the shifting patterns of memories and dreams.

Filmography

2021 Centauress; 8 min. 2024 detours while speaking of monsters

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2024