Emir Akarslan, a student from the Department of Radio, Television, and Cinema at Istanbul Gelisim University's Faculty of Fine Arts, has made it to the finals of the 31st International Adana Golden Boll Film Festival with his short film The Way Back (Dönüş Yolu).

Emir Akarslan’s short film The Way Back (Dönüş Yolu), a student from the Radio, Television, and Cinema Department, has been selected as one of the 26 finalists in the National Student Short Film Competition at the 31st International Adana Golden Boll Film Festival.

The Way Back (Dönüş Yolu) was chosen as one of the 26 finalists out of 201 films and tells the story of Aliye, a woman who is experiencing domestic violence from her husband and is in the process of getting a divorce.

The film's director, Emir Akarslan, expressed his excitement and happiness about reaching the finals with his film, but he emphasized that he does not see this as a personal achievement. He stated that this success holds great significance as a response to the effort of shedding light on a societal issue.

Akarslan mentioned that he was inspired by Zülfü Livaneli's words, "If I were alive, you wouldn’t come; now that I'm dead, did you come to mourn?" when creating the film. He aimed to address the issue of normalized femicides and the social indifference towards these crimes, highlighting how silence and apathy can strengthen societal problems.

Akarslan added that the festival process provides a significant opportunity for these themes and messages to reach a wider audience. He noted that reaching the finals is a testament to the film's societal impact and that this has given him great motivation. He concluded his remarks by thanking his entire team, the festival organizers, and everyone who showed interest in the film.

We congratulate Emir Akarslan and wish him continued success.