Private Project

The Dream of Kaplan

Gürol Kaplan is a champion wrestler who created himself out of nothing. His dramatic journey from a small village in Turkey to Germany and France continues with his forced return to the same village after a purification process. Kaplan meets the audience in this biographical documentary with his exemplary stance in life and his unique philosophy of life, together with what he has won and lost.

  • Devrim Taban
    Director
  • Tahir Ün
    Director
  • Devrim Taban
    Writer
  • Tahir Ün
    Writer
  • Mehmet Ünal
    Writer
  • Levent Yıldız
    Writer
  • Levent Yıldız
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    51 minutes 59 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 15, 2021
  • 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:
    No
  • Festival Internazionale del Cinema di Salerno
    Salerno
    Italy
    November 25, 2021
    World premiere
    Official selection
  • Eurasia Creative Guild Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    May 21, 2022
    United Kingdom Premiere
    Honorable Mention Award
  • Frankfurt Turkish Film Festival
    Frankfurt
    Germany
    June 26, 2022
    Germany Premiere
    Nominee
  • Cinque Ports Documentary Film Festival
    Cinque Ports
    United Kingdom
    September 5, 2022
    Finalist
  • Black Cat Award International Film Festival
    Cuidad La Paz
    Bolivia, Plurinational State of
    November 11, 2022
    Official selection
  • IZDOC - Izmir International Documentary Festival
    Izmir
    Turkey
    January 21, 2023
    Special screening
  • Lift-Off Filmmaker Sessions
    London
    United Kingdom
    March 27, 2023
    Official selection
Distribution Information
  • Visus Oü
    Distributor
    Country: Estonia
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Devrim Taban, Tahir Ün

c/o Director Devrim Taban

He was born in 1978 in Istanbul. Anadolu University Faculty of Communication Sciences in 1997.
He was accepted to the Cinema and Television department and graduated in 2003. He worked as a Producer and Director at Anadolu University Television TVA for 3 years and as a Director at Yaşar University Media Center between 2008 and 2018. Since my student years, he has been involved in many projects as a Director, Cinematographer and Script Writer.
In 2003, he won the 2nd prize in the Metro Short Film Competition and became the Finalist of the IFSAK Short Film Competition with the documentary project "On Your Own".
In 2012, he edited the project called "I, You, I Her” and it won the best first documentary award at the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival.
In 2014, “City of People”, where he worked as a director, cinematographer and editing director, competed in the Aegean Doc Festival. “Crust”, for which I was the Cinematographer, was screened at the 2018 Short Film Corner of the Cannes Film Festival.
In 2018, "Kazım" TRT Documentary Competition, which he was cinematographer of National Professional Category Turkish Film, received the award of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
He continues to work on various ongoing documentary and film projects.
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c/o Director Tahir Ün

Tahir Un was born in Turkey. He holds a BA degree from Language and History-Geography Faculty of Ankara University, where he studied History of European Arts.
He gives lectures in photography, multimedia and video art essays in Yasar University and private education institutions, Turkey.
Tahir Un currently interests in photography, moving image and social activism projects. Also, he is curator and director of Videoart.Ist International Video Art Screening Festival and lives in Izmir.

Some Awards & Distinctions for Moving Image:

2017 – FATHER TONGUE, awarded for "The Film With Most Profound Message", Uhvati Film Festival, NOVI SAD.
2017 – THE GAME, “Semi - Finalist”, Near Nazareth Festival (NNF), AFULA.
2014 - THE GAME, “TOP 10 DVD” Selected by jury of the Facade Videoart Festival, PLEVEN.
2012 – POSE, best videoart prize, 14th. International Panorama of Independent Film and Video Makers, PATRAS.
2012 - FACIAL PERCEPTION, 2nd prize for experimental video section, International SnapFilm Festiwal, KRAKOW.
2006- DISTRESS IN THE CITY is selected for Rhizome Artbase Collection, NEW YORK.

Videography & filmography:

The Wonderful Affair (2016) - short film
Father Tongue (2013) – short film
Kinetic (2013) – videoart
The Game (2013) – videoart
Pose (2011) – videoart
Facial Perception (2010) – videoart
Death of Cameraman (2010) – videoart
Direction (2006) – short film
Old Darling (2006) – videoart
Distress in the City (2005) – videoart
Where is my dream? (2005) - videoart

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