Award-Winning Films Announced at IGU International Media and Short Film Festival

The IGU International Media and Short Film Festival, organized with the involvement of Istanbul Gelisim University's Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, brought together diverse storytelling approaches and creative cinematic works. In addition to traditional filmmaking, the festival also featured productions incorporating digital technologies and artificial intelligence. The top three winners in each of the five categories, along with the recipient of the Special Jury Award, were announced.

Iranian Film Wins First Prize in Fiction Category

In the Fiction category, Iranian director Jalal Mirzaei's "The Potter" won first prize. "Mr. Mojtaba," another Iranian production directed by Shahrzad Nikoubakht and MohammadHossein Abdi, received second prize, while "Liminal," directed by Ege Yılmaz from Türkiye, was awarded third place.

International Success in Digital Content Category

In the Digital Content category, "Red Apple," an Iranian production by Worya Nick Manesh and Maryam Hashemnezhad, won first prize. "Retrolugon: The Last Analog God," directed by Soroush Kioumarsi from Germany, received second prize, while "Dot Don't Write," by Prabhu Veeramani from India, secured third place.

Three Turkish Productions Recognized in Documentary Category

The Documentary category stood out as all three top awards went to productions from Türkiye. "Rah," directed by Beyza Emişen, won first prize, while "Mevcut Üç," directed by Onur Sürek, received second prize. "Muslimgauze: Electronic Intifada," by Suhan Lalettayin, was awarded third place.

Diverse Storytelling Approaches Take Center Stage in Experimental Cinema

In the Experimental category, "Shadow of the King," directed by Hadi Shariati from Iran, won first prize. "[Sighing Softly]," a Türkiye–USA co-production by Süheyla Noyan, received second prize, while "Zülheya," directed by Semih Sağman from Türkiye, was awarded third place.

Creative Productions Honored in Artificial Intelligence Category

In the Artificial Intelligence category, which highlighted the relationship between technology and cinema, "The Last 'Dragon' That Killed Him," directed by Xi Huang from China, won first prize. "The Museum of Fatigue," by Jhonattan Sarmiento from Colombia, received second prize, while "The Shift," directed by Sagher Manchanda from India, secured third place.

In the same category, "Sanatorium Poetica," directed by Ulaş Baltacı from Türkiye, was honored with the Special Jury Award.

The Universal Language of Cinema Brings Together Productions from Different Countries

The festival highlighted cultural diversity in cinema through its international scope, recognizing filmmakers from Türkiye, Iran, Germany, India, China, Colombia, and other countries.

By featuring experimental narratives, digital content, and artificial intelligence-generated works alongside fiction and documentary films, the festival demonstrated its inclusive approach to evolving forms of visual storytelling.

The Istanbul Gelisim University International Media and Short Film Festival continues to contribute to artistic diversity in the field of short filmmaking by bringing greater visibility to the creative works of filmmakers from different parts of the world.