Synopsis

Lena is a half-human, half-bird refugee girl. She is a student in her new country. One of her classmates bullies Lena. On the one hand, Lena wants to make friends. On the other hand, she misses and looks for the silverberry tree that she left in her hometown.

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Overview

Lena’s Silverberry Tree is a 2D keyframe animated short film, produced as an output of a project I attended, run by a European Union-supported NGO working with immigrants in Turkey. In this film, my roles were character designer, co-animator, and writer. I intentionally kept the animation and character designs simple, reflecting the perspective of a 10-year-old child and highlighting her innocence and straightforward approach. The film explores themes of identity, belonging, and the challenges of adjusting to a new environment. Creating this film was a deeply personal experience for me, and through Lena’s story, I hoped to convey the emotions and struggles that come with starting over in a new place.

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Festival Screenings and Awards

• 9th International İpekyolu Film Festival – Finalist

• 22nd İzmir International Short Film Festival – Finalist

• Rotary International Short Film Festival

• 9th Canlandıranlar International Animation Film Festival

• Noble International Film Festival and Awards

• Sessions by Lift-Off Global Network Film Festival