New Turkish Films -

Seen Unseen: An Anthology of (Auto)Censorship

Original title: "Görünür Görünmez: Bir (Oto)Sansür Antolojisi"

Directed by

Fırat Yücel, Erhan Örs, Hakan Bozyurt, Can Memiş, Sibil Çekmen, Nadir Sönmez, Serra Akcan, belit sağ Seen Unseen: An Anthology of Auto-censorship was directed by a group of filmmakers who came together under the roof of Altyazı Fasikül: Free Cinema. The anthology includes six videos contributed by eight filmmakers/video artists: Fırat Yücel, Erhan Örs, Hakan Bozyurt, Can Memiş, Sibil Çekmen, Nadir Sönmez, Serra Akcan and belit sağ. Seen Unseen: An Anthology of (Auto)Censorship is the first feature-length film of Altyazı Fasikül: Free Cinema, which previously curated the video series Looking Outside (2020) and From Below (2022).

Cinematography by

Fırat Yücel, Enis Köstepen, Erhan Örs, Enes Kılıç, Sibil Çekmen, Serra Akcan, Nadir Sönmez, belit sağ

Edited by

Fırat Yücel, Erhan Örs, Nazım Soylu, Serra Akcan, Nadir Sönmez, belit sağ

Music by

Mert Kocadayı


Color: color, Running time: 66 min., Format: DCP, HD, Countries: Türkiye, Netherlands, Languages: Turkish, English, Kurdish


Producer(s)
Fırat Yücel Firat Yücel is a documentary director and editor based in Amsterdam/Istanbul. The anthology film for which he served as artistic director, Seen Unseen: An Anthology of (Auto)Censorship (2024), premiered internationally at the 54th International Film Festival Rotterdam and was screened at MoMA Doc Fortnight, as well as CPH:DOX. He was a fellow at the BAK Utrecht’s Fellowship for Situated Practice: 2023-2024 with his research on self-censorship in cinema. His latest short, happiness (2025), premiered at Visions du Réel.
Fırat Sezgin Firat Sezgin is a Turkish producer based in Utrecht. He is the owner of the Dutch production company Institute of Time, which is an interdisciplinary film and XR production company. Focusing on creative projects around climate change, Institute of Time aims to bring a different perspective to our current life and uncertain future with storytelling. Their work has been exhibited in festivals such as Venice Film Festival, IFFRotterdam, IDFA, Hot Docs and more.
Aylin Kuryel Aylin Kuryel is an Assistant Professor in Literary and Cultural Analysis at the University of Amsterdam. Among her documentaries are The City and the Messiah (2024), Translating Ulysses (2023), A Defense (2021), CemileSezgin (2020), The Balcony and Our Dreams (2020), Heads and Tails (2018), Welcome Lenin (2016).
Production company(s)

Institute of Time, Altyazı Cinema Association

Synopsis

A group of filmmakers and artists from Turkey collaborated to create videos on “(auto)censorship”, in response to the increasingly repressive climate in Turkey. The result is Seen Unseen: An Anthology of (Auto)censorship, a collective reflection on the limits of freedom of expression. Six videos intertwined with each other, reframing the history of censorship from the perspective of those who experienced it.

Photo Gallery

  • Seen_Unseen_02-dc5b3959

Trailer