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Benmentor

"Benmentor" tells the story of transformation in the life of Ben, a man dissatisfied with his life and plagued by depression. Ben, unhappy due to the difficulties and wrong choices in his life, encounters a mysterious and wise figure named Mentor one day. Mentor teaches Ben to make healthier and more positive choices in his life, which dramatically improves Ben's quality of life. However, a confrontation with Ben's sister reveals that Mentor is, in fact, a character created in Ben's imagination.

  • Onur Akın
    Director
  • Onur Akın
    Writer
  • Tılsım Turan
    Writer
  • Onur Akın
    Producer
  • Onur Akın
    Key Cast
    "Ben"
  • Enes Öztürk
    Key Cast
    "Mentor"
  • Göksu Sencer Çoban
    Cinematographer
  • Hümeyra Çetin
    Art Director
  • Onur Akın
    Editing
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Benmentor
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, Psychological, Comedy
  • Runtime:
    7 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    June 6, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    1,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Turkey
  • Country of Filming:
    Turkey
  • Language:
    Turkish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Başkent University
Director Biography - Onur Akın

Born on the 15th of October, 1994, in Turkey, the early life of our subject was one of constant movement and change. The nature of his family's business necessitated frequent relocations, engendering a childhood and adolescence punctuated by shifts between cities and schools. These experiences, while disruptive, cultivated an introverted demeanor which lasted through his university years. The isolation fostered a deep interest in books and cinema and an exploration into the world of computers and technology.
His linguistic prowess is noteworthy, with Turkish as his mother tongue, he has developed a fluency in English and a working proficiency in Spanish. This polyglot nature is reflective of his diverse life experiences. His perspective on life is deeply shaped by a pronounced atheistic worldview and a skeptical outlook towards established ideologies.
His intellectual influences draw from an illustrious line-up of writers and philosophers. Friedrich Nietzsche, the provocative and iconoclastic German philosopher, remains his favorite, providing much of the intellectual fodder for his thoughts and inspirations. The works of Fyodor Dostoevsky, Franz Kafka, and Albert Camus also figure prominently in his literary influences, offering a nuanced view of the human condition.
His taste in cinema is as distinctive as his literary preferences. He admires directors like Quentin Tarantino, Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, David Fincher, Christopher Nolan, and Andrei Tarkovsky, each renowned for their unique styles and storytelling prowess.
His engagement with the arts is not limited to passive consumption. From an early age, he showed a proclivity for acting, participating in numerous theatrical productions. Towards the end of his high school years, he took on roles as a theatre instructor and a Latin dance teacher. He pursued an undergraduate degree in acting at Beykent University, during which time he balanced academic pursuits with various jobs and engagements in several projects. At the age of 19, he directed his first short film, "Not To Be."
His time in Istanbul was characterized by extensive involvement in the digital advertising sector, where he worked as a graphic designer and videographer. He also served as an editing assistant, production assistant, and director's assistant in several production companies. His first long-form film experience was with the movie "Kanlı Postal," where he played the role of a torturer, and contributed as an assistant director and editing assistant.
Upon graduation, he moved to Hungary for a year to further his English language skills, followed by a year in Spain to learn Spanish. Upon his return to Turkey, he worked as a freelancer for several years, a professional arrangement that continues to this day.
He is currently enrolled in the Film Design and Management program at Başkent University and the Visual Communication Design program at Anadolu University. His recent work includes serving as a cinematographer, editor, and actor in several award-winning short films. His latest project is a short film titled "Benmentor," released in 2023. His journey, marked by constant learning and exploration, testifies to a life lived at the intersection of arts, technology, and self-discovery.

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Director Statement

I aimed to tell a story about an individual's internal struggle and the power of free will. My own life story and films that deeply impacted me, such as Fight Club and Revolver, inspired me, along with Nietzsche's 'The Wanderer and His Shadow' and Dostoyevsky's 'Crime and Punishment'. My goal was to illustrate that people do not need external influences to make the right decisions in their own lives.

The characters represent different individuals and situations in our lives; the main character representing me, the Mentor symbolising our inner motivation, the Apartment Janitor reflecting our interaction with society, the Drug Dealer signifying our relationship with crimes, the Woman in the Cafe demonstrating our interaction with the opposite sex, and the Sister representing our familial relationships.

The importance of the story is rooted in the idea that an individual should control their own choices with their own mind and reasoning.

The visual aesthetic of the film reflects the quality of the choices made by the character. In the first half, as poor decisions are made, the image quality deteriorates, with increased noise and pixelation. This is a deliberate choice to illustrate that bad decisions affect our perspective. However, after the character meets the Mentor, the image quality improves, providing a clearer image.

During the shooting process, I anticipate encountering some difficulties, especially in the post-production phase. However, I believe that with good communication and the right techniques, these challenges can be overcome. I plan to utilize natural light and will combine boom microphone and camera sounds for the audio.

Upon completion of the film, I want to create a shock effect for the viewer and encourage them to reflect. I aim to provide an experience that will make the audience want to rewatch the film, and I plan to use some techniques that have not been used before to achieve this. Specifically, I hope to change the viewer's inner world after watching the film and encourage them to make more conscious choices in their own lives.