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The Lunatic of Étretat

Inspired by Hugues Merle's painting "The Lunatic of Étretat," the film tells the story of a woman with an illegitimate child, depicting the merciless pressures she faces from society.

  • Berkay Olgun
    Director
  • Berkay Olgun
    Writer
  • Berkay Olgun
    Producer
  • Berkay Olgun
    Key Cast
    "Masked people"
  • Başak Duman
    Key Cast
    "Woman"
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    3 minutes 6 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 8, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    24 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Turkey
  • Country of Filming:
    Turkey
  • Language:
    English, Turkish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Çankırı Karatekin Üniversitesi
  • Ulusal Topkapı Öğrenci Kısa Film Festivali
    İstanbul
    Turkey
    May 24, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Kültür Üniversitesi 5. SineKültür Üniversitelerarası Kısa Film Festivali
    İstanbul
    Turkey
    June 23, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Karadeniz Sivil Toplum Kuruluşları Konfederasyonu - Kıyıdaki Kadınlar
    İstanbul
    Turkey
    May 22, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Nahal international Student Short Film Festival
    Tehran
    Iran, Islamic Republic of
    June 16, 2024
Director Biography - Berkay Olgun

Berkay Olgun is a Turkish director and writer born in Istanbul in 2002. After completing his high school education in Istanbul, he began studying Cinema and Television at Çankırı Karatekin University in 2020. Olgun completed his education in 2024, during which he completed two experimental short films and one narrative short film project.

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Director Statement

Inspired by Hugues Merle's painting "The Lunatic of Étretat," this film depicts the inner journey of a woman attempting to escape societal pressures. With her newborn baby, she struggles to flee both mentally and physically from this oppression, only to gradually succumb to the influence of environmental and psychological pressures, leading to her breakdown. We witness the woman's mental collapse and her complexity and helplessness as she replaces her nonexistent child with a piece of wood in her inner world. While briefly capturing the woman's internal struggle and conflict with societal norms, the film presents the audience with her spiritual destruction and the profound tragedy behind it.