Award to Young Filmmaker from Golden Boll

Ulviye Aleyna Sarıgül (23), a graduate of the Department of Cinema and Digital Media at the Faculty of Communication, Izmir University of Economics (IUE), was awarded the ‘Special Jury Award’ at the International Adana Golden Boll Film Festival for her experimental documentary titled “Akgün”. In her 11-minute documentary, which features footage recorded by a director on her phone over the years and the transformation of her garden over time, Sarıgül experienced the joy of being recognized in the National Student Films Category. Sarıgül, who wrote the script and shot the film herself, attended the ceremony in Adana to receive her award.

Expressing that it is a source of pride to achieve such a significant success at the International Adana Golden Boll Film Festival, one of Turkey’s most rooted film festivals, held for the 33rd time this year, Sarıgül stated that she wants to move forward in the field of cinema with new projects.

“IT WAS VERY BENEFICIAL”

Stating that the education she received at IUE significantly shaped her perspective on cinema and her mode of production, Sarıgül said: “My education at the university did not only provide me with technical knowledge; it also taught me how to approach a story, how to think through imagery, and how to develop my own narrative voice. Encountering different cinematic genres, narrative forms, and production processes during classes was very beneficial for me. I learned to progress by questioning every step, from the initial phase of an idea to the shooting and editing processes. ‘Akgün’ was a work that emerged as a result of this background and exploration."

Sarıgül continued as follows: “Having a work you produced reach the audience and the jury, and seeing it appreciated, brings great happiness. This award has also reminded me that I need to work harder, try new things, and continue to improve myself. Experiencing such a success at the very beginning of my career has been an important source of motivation for me.”