Sabancı Foundation 9th Short Film Competition

The Sabancı Foundation 9th Short Film Competition, which highlights a different social issue each year, was organized under the theme “Climate Migration” and the motto “Film It Before They Immigrate.”

9 YEARS Short Film Competition

Aiming to raise awareness about the impacts of climate change and the scale of forced migration, the competition held its award ceremony on February 5, 2025, at the Sabancı Center.

Participants were tasked with addressing the causes of climate change, its impact on daily life, and proposed solutions from their unique perspectives, all within a five- minute timeframe. As selected by the jury, the first-place winner was awarded 60,000 Turkish lira, the second-place recipient received 40,000 Turkish lira, and both the third-place winner and the film honored with the Social Impact Award were each awarded 25,000 Turkish lira. The competition was art directed by Zeynep Atakan. The jury consisted of director Ömür Atay, successful actors Burcu Biricik and Boran Kuzum, Francine Hetherington Raveney, Founder of the European Women’s Audiovisual Network, and award-winning producer Šárka Cimbalová. The Social Impact Jury, tasked with assessing finalists from a social perspective, was composed of Selin Ünal, Spokesperson for UNHCR Türkiye, Akgün İlhan, PhD, Part-Time Lecturer at Boğaziçi University, and journalist-author Binnaz Saktanber.

Artists who applied to the competition also had the opportunity to meet distinguished figures and learn from their experiences during the Short Film Platform Meetings.

Prize Winners

First Prize and Social Impact Award, “Last Nest” - Hasan Hüseyin Alkan

Second Prize, “White Nights” Çağrı Erdoğdu

Third Prize, “Minaret” - Turan Güngör

Special Mention Award, “Those Left Behind” - Muhammed Emin Çırçır and Mahmut Enes Şahin