So at one point, I found myself at a loss for love of the art. I was producing constantly generic videos meant to sell or promote, and I wanted more. Or perhaps it was a midlife crisis, who knows. In anycase, it was then that I quit my day job as a producer in Canadian TV, and decided to go with passion projects. Looking back, I can’t say it was the most financially sound idea, but it did create a whole new trajectory for me, where I began making short films, documentaries, stories, and best case examples of communities that strove for inclusion, sustainability and social transformation. Below, you’ll find a wide range of stories. From documentaries to dramatic short films, sci-fi to expose’s. This is all part of my work over the last few decades – enjoy the variety.
My first short film was Dr. Zack. It was a micro-budget film Mostly funded by Bahanur, my soulmate, who believed in me and my absurd dreams (for some odd reason.) It was also a family affair, my sister helped on set, my mom cooked and I felt like Scorcese for a while. The film was my first experiment in establishing a film language of sorts.
I’ve created more since then, and you’ll find them all below. Each and every one is an over-reach, an attempt to somehow attain the technological capacity and shine of mainstream cinema, without the resources. Yes, each and every film is a micro-budget production.
I have since, changed my stance on aesthetics and cinema, and experimented with what I call “poetic explorations” in storytelling from a first person perspective, however I do have to admit that everything I do does possess a deep knowledge of the materiality of film – and as such, is fluid and “smooth.”.
A common thread among them all is obviously systemic critique, and an indispensable sense of fatalism. I have since discovered Gramsci and now believe, despite the dominance of the system, a counter hegemonic path is possible.
short film, 2023, Vienna, Austria.
All I’ll say is – this film was conceived before AI became such a vital and regular part of most of our lives.
Melissa inherits a struggling dive bar from her deceased father, along with a considerable amount of debt. The apparent resurrection of her father, along with his new found memory, causes certain secrets to resurface. She is now confronted with the potential to change her fortune and future… And her relationship with the new father.
Starring:
Tamalynne Grant as Melissa
Dennis Kozeluh as Frank
Johnny Vivash as James Upworth
Phil Moran as Harry
Jason Cloud as Officer Joe
short film, 2017, Vienna, Austria.
“You’re listening now, aren’t you,” says a cold and nearly unconscious Andreas Wagner, over his live broadcast. Isolated and full of desperation, he’s decided to air his last words, together with some extremely valid grievances. But what’s his real personal motivation, and what caused him to end up here? Social media seems to have offered him a voice however, transforming him into an unlikely Internet phenomenon when it least matters. People might be watching, but are they really concerned, or do they hide behind the mask of online anonymity to have fun at the expense of someone else? When the next big global viral hit wears off, can a concerned few save him in the nick of time so he can live to tell his story another day?
Official selections: Vasteras Film Festival, Sweden; Four Seasons Film Festival, London, U.K.; Trenton Film Festival, N.J.,U.S.A.; Cluj Short Film Festival, Cluj, Romania; WAG Film Festival, Italy; Chennai Film Fest., India; Cefalu Film Festival, Italy; Front Range Film Festival, U.S.A.; Manifesto Film Festival, Holland; NEO International Film Festival, U.S.A.; CPIFF Istanbul, Turkey; Istanbul Short Film Festival, Turkey; InShort Film Festival, Nigeria; Austria Independent Film Festival, Vienna, Austria; OderKurz-Filmspektakel, Germany; Sunback Film Festival, Kansas City, U.S.A.; Petaluma Film Festival, U.S.A.; Corte Nero Shorts Film Competition, Naples, Italy .
Starring: Anatol Ali Rieger
short film, 2014, Vienna, Austria.
About this film: I like to think I envisioned the oligarchs cozying up to (or even controlling) power a decade before it actually happened – Capitalism is so predictable.
Unravelling the “ultimate truth” has become an obsession for a paranoid Mani Haruplex, and he’s found secret prophecies tucked away in ancient texts. His discovery will soon be put to the test by others who believe the “absolute truth” is hidden elsewhere.
Official Selections: Taratsa Film Festival/Greece; Austrian Independent Film Festival/Austria; Eidolon Film Festival/France; Qabila Film Festival/Egypt; Klappe Film Awards/Austria; MICA Film Festival/Brazil; Clean Shorts Film Festival/U.S.A.; Goa Film Festival/India
Starring: Anatol Ali Rieger, Dany Sigel, Peter Fernbach
short film, 2010, Canada.
Zack (seven years old) is studying medicine. A mysterious book thrusts him into a fantasy world, filled with definitions, symptoms and cures, while his mentor (Dr. Zack) guides him along the path to becoming a “great doctor”. Although he fails to make sense of a dysfunctional family life and the harsh reality of his environment, he works hard towards finding a cure for his abusive father. Will Zack be able to attain his potential in a ruthless adult world?
Starring: Dimitri Poulimenos, Nick Smythe, Deanna Palazzo
official selections:
Marbella International Film Festival/Spain (nomination for best film prize). YIF Online Film Festival (viewer’s choice award); Independent Days Film Festival/Germany; Official Selection, World Kids International Film Festival, Mumbai, India.
1 hr documentary, 2012, Sinop, Türkiye
The Sea In Me tells the stories of the residents of Sinop, a small coastal town on the shorts of the Black Sea. Their history, culture and way of living, which has evolved over centuries, based on a connection with the sea and nature, is being threatened by rapid and unplanned urbanization, increasing rates of migration, and the imposition of pre-fabricated, one-size-fits-all development methods.
Bahanur and I lived as artists in residents in Sinop over the summer of 2012. We did on-site research, engaged with the local community and collaborated with local experts in the international context of Sinopale 4. We produced a documentary that reflects upon the complex and layered coastal transitions and urban developments in Sinop.
official selections:
Arquiteturas Film Festival 2013, Lisbon, Portugal; NWTS Open Air Film Festival, Batumi Beach, Georgia; Movies in Wonderland/FrameOut Film Festival, Vienna, Austria; Opuzen International Film Festival, Opuzen, Croatia; Voices from the Waters Film Festival, Bangalore, India; Voices from the Waters Film Festival, Gothenburg, Sweden; 5th Budapest Architecture Film Festival, Budapest, Hungary; World Kids International Film Festival, Mumbai, India.; Screening-Siemens Art, Istanbul; Screening, Museon-The Hague, Netherlands
16 min documentary, 2012, Sinop, Türkiye
Helesa is about a beautiful tradition, established to help receive aid from the local fishing community in Sinop some centuries ago. Over time, the custom grew into a street festival. Fishermen, as well as the locals, would fill the streets, travel from apartment to apartment, from one small shop to another, chanting the Helesa song. For one night during the month of Ramadhan, the whole town would unite for a good cause. This beautiful event of the year, is increasingly under threat. Many youngsters don’t know the lyrics of the song, so participation is decreasing. Bahanur and myself produced this documentary to underline the importance of such fairytale like stories for local identities.
The documentary won a a special jury prize/award and was selected to be screened at the 1st Sinop Film Festival.
I collaborated with Wonderland (platform for architecture), to document unique initiatives in Vienna – ones we’d like to tell the stories of. The films highlight interesting and inspiring stories, people, initiatives and organizations that change the way we live, interact with our built space and approach our environment.
We take a look into the thought process of Treecycle: A Viennese collective creating ecologically and socially sustainable “street furniture” in the form of unique and transportable ecosystem
We take a peek into the world and work of Austrian recycling artist Julian jankovic. Visiting him in his atelier in Vienna (Floridsdorf), we discuss how and why he does what he does.
VinziRast Mittendrin is a highly innovative shared living space located in the heart of Vienna. Nestled close to the Main University, this innovative co-living project offers a restaurant, workshops and community spaces, among others.
Open Heritage was an EU funded research project, focussing on industrial heritage sites and how they could be transformed for inclusive, social uses in a sustainable manner. I travelled to unique case study sites in numerous European cities and created these short, catchy mini-docs (exposes) on them, with an effort to raise awareness on alternative modes of building and space transformation in our urban centers.
Largo Residencias – Lisbon, Portugal
When Largo was first established, the purveyors couldn’t have imagined the scope of impact they would end up having. The socially responsible and sustainable touristic hostel has since become home to an inspirational project fostering social inclusion, urban transformation, artistic expression and cultural interaction.
The Stara Trznica – Bratislava, Slovenia
An old market hall is transformed into a civic space that balances economic viability with social enterprises and serves as a model for heritage re-use. The story of the Stara Trznica is one of community activation, public heritage, collective use and most importantly: civic pride.
ExRota Print – Berlin, Germany
When Daniela Brahm and Les Schliesser first set eyes on the (then) unused industrial compound, they knew it would be the perfect site for their vision. They had to involve alternative forms of financing and find unique partners to see it through. The end result was magnificent: an inimitable space that now serves as an acclaimed model for collective urban development.
FargFabriken – Stockholm, Sweden
When Largo was first established, the purveyors couldn’t have imagined the scope of impact they would end up having. The socially responsible and sustainable touristic hostel has since become home to an inspirational project fostering social inclusion, urban transformation, artistic expression and cultural interaction.
The SargFabrik – Vienna, Austria
Formerly the site of a coffin factory, the Sargfabrik has since, become a model for community living projects. This is the story of how a pulsating urban alternative emerged from a social experiment to create a piece of utopia on the (then) outskirts of Vienna.
London CLT – London, England
Genuinely affordable homes are becoming an impossiblity for Londoners, who are being pushed out of the city due to rising housing prices. The London CLT’s St. Clemens site serves as an example of how community run initiatives can provide affordable housing for locals.
The “Begegnungsorte” (Places of Encounter) project was something we had initiated to capture the essence of neighbourhoods: the people, institutions, organizations that create local identity and help shape local pride. The series seeks to capture the essence of a neighborhood by exploring and documenting its hidden qualities and the people who shape it. At the heart of these stories are the individuals themselves—filmed in their workshops, shops, homes, markets, public spaces, and the broader neighborhoods they inhabit and co-create. We created 5 episodes or mini-docs, all accessible below.
Hernals (17.Bezirk, Wien) is home to a unique establishment: Greisslerei zur Goldenen Ameise. The passion project of Margit Ulm, this small shop aims supports local initiatives and businesses by offering customers locally produced products difficult to find elsewhere. Purveyor Margit Ulm discusses the idea behind this community inspired social business.
Located in Josefstadt (8.Bezirk, Wien) Handgedacht was Initially established as a small workshop. It has has since developed into a unique design shop, providing custom woodworking solutions. Committed to community and family: the purveyors strive to strike a work-life balance and a reduced hour work-week for their employees.
Located right behind the main train station in the 10. district is the Helmut-Zilk-Park, which serves as a public space hosting a diverse range of citizens and making life in Vienna’s recently zoned pocket of the 10. district enjoyable. Resident Amila Sirbegovic tells us about her experience with this unique space, and what it means for her and her family.
Located in Favoriten (10.Bezirk, Wien) So.Vie.So has become a unique community living project, with common areas and active residents determined to provide a family oriented community to live and share in. Resident Astrid Huber walks us through the building and explains how she became a part of this unique venture.
Located right behind the main train station in the 10. district is the Helmut-Zilk-Park, which serves as a public space hosting a diverse range of citizens and making life in Vienna’s recently zoned pocket of the 10. district enjoyable. Resident Amila Sirbegovic tells us about her experience with this unique space, and what it means for her and her family.