ZUGZWANG

Selim and Muazzez are a happily married couple who infuse every moment of their lives with joy by turning situations into games and competitions without ever compromising their love and respect for each other. One fateful day, Muazzez makes a blunder that hurts Selim. Feeling disrespected, Selim reacts with an exaggerated display of anger, leading to an abrupt breakup. During their months-long period of ambiguous separation, Selim discovers his kidneys have failed. Upon returning home with this news, Muazzez puts aside her pride and starts to struggle for Selim's health. Their deep love assures kidney compatibility. However, Selim arrogantly refuses to accept Muazzez's kidney. He finds himself trapped in a cycle of countless surgeries, haunted by the darkest nightmares. Muazzez extends a compassionate hand to Selim in this desperate state, rescuing him from the vicious nightmare circle.

  • MUHAMMED GÜNAYDIN
    Director
  • MUHAMMED GÜNAYDIN
    Writer
  • ECEM GÜNDOĞAN
    Producer
  • TUNÇER ŞENGÜN
    Producer
  • MUHAMMED GÜNAYDIN
    Producer
  • HAKAN EMRE ÜNAL
    Key Cast
    "SELİM"
  • ECEM GÜNDOĞAN
    Key Cast
    "MUAZZEZ"
  • ÖMER FARUK YILDIRIM
    Key Cast
    "DOĞAN"
  • AHMET KAYNAK
    Key Cast
    "DOCTOR"
  • BARBAROS ENGİN
    DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
  • SERKAN DEMİRCİ
    EDITING
  • MUHAMMED GÜNAYDIN
    EDITING
  • ÖZLEM GÜNAYDIN
    ART DIRECTOR
  • BERK BATUHAN KİBAR
    EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
  • SERPİL DERE KESKİN
    ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
  • CAN PEHLİVAN
    MUSIC
  • OZAN DEMİR
    SOUND EDITING
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    17 minutes 56 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 1, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    50,000 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
Director Biography - MUHAMMED GÜNAYDIN

Circassian Turkish, Director/Producer/Screenwriter,
Ege University Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Boğaziçi University Philosophy Department (ongoing)
Kadir Has University Film and Drama Department Master's (continuing)
Short Films:
Zugzwang (director, screenwriter, co-producer) 2023
Stop Look Listen Listen (director, screenwriter, co-producer) 2020
The Next Day (director) 2019
I Love You (executive producer) 2021

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Director Statement

Zugzwang is my second short film as a director, following a relatively modest production with limited settings in my debut project. While my first film revolved around a single day and featured only a small cast, I sought to challenge myself further with Zugzwang. The aim was to dynamically convey a year-and-a-half-long story in just fifteen minutes, incorporating wide-depth-of-field scenes, multiple locations, and a substantial ensemble of actors and supporting cast. During the planning stage, we focused on utilizing every cinematic element as active dramatic material. We emphasized the significance of light, sound, and art direction, recognizing their crucial roles in shaping the film's narrative. Additionally, we dedicated considerable attention to understanding the motivations and objectives of each character. The primary focus was on crafting a unique relationship between our two main characters, which proved to be our most significant and challenging undertaking.