The International Digital Film Festival Istanbul (DFFI), which focuses on the digital transformation of cinema, is being held for the third time this year. Taking place at various venues across Istanbul between October 18-21, 2025, the festival will capture the pulse of the international film world through physical and online short film screenings, panels, talks, workshops, and a gala ceremony.
Finalist Films Announced
The productions that have made it to the final after the pre-jury evaluation bear the signatures of creative directors from all over the world.
Fiction: Across the Waters (France), Claimant (Iran), Garan Tr (Turkiye)
Documentary: Sezenler Olsun (Turkiye), Zurvan (Iran), Middle of the Way (Turkiye)
Experimental: Lost in the Woods (USA), I You He/She We You They (Turkiye), I Feel Like a Piece of Meat (Turkiye)
Animation: Volcelest (France), Blue Dove and the Pomegranate Tree (USA), Milo (Turkiye)
AI-Assisted: Memory Maker (USA), Finish and Paranoid Dream (Argentina), The Soviet Phoenix (Germany)
Video Art: You Will Always Be Welcome Here (Italy), Nor Any Memories of the Turning Backs (Turkiye), Let It Grow (China)
Fashion Film: Echo Bloom (Japan), MX. (UK), No-Land: No-Landers (UK)
The finalist films were selected by a pre-jury consisting of experienced names in the field:
Serkan Yıldız – DFA Coordinator
Dr. Öymen Ulusoy – Director
Assist. Prof. Dr. Seda Aktaş – Academic
Gürkan Yücel – Director
2025 Theme: “A New Era, A New Narrative: Cinema with Generative AI”
This year’s main theme of the festival addresses the evolution of production tools in cinema and the transformative effects of artificial intelligence on art. AI technologies used in creative processes, from scriptwriting to editing, visual design to music, will be opened for discussion through special events during the festival.
Main Jury and Awards
Director Özcan Alper is the Head of the Festival’s Main Jury. The Main Jury includes valuable names such as actress Bennu Yıldırımlar, production designer Natali Yeres, academic Prof. Dr. Hülya Önal, film critic Sadi Çilingir, academic Assist. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Bülbül, and digital artist Ecem Dilan Köse.
Doğuş University, the main partner of the festival run by the Digital Film Academy Istanbul, is combining the awards with academic value this year. Winning films will be provided with 100% and 75% postgraduate scholarships to support young filmmakers’ academic careers. The 3rd DFFI continues its preparations with the hosting of Crea Center Çekmeköy and the support of Digital Film Center and Tümay Özokur Akademi.
The winning films will be announced at the magnificent gala ceremony to be held at the Atatürk Cultural Center Yeşilçam Cinema Hall on October 21, 2025. Awards will also be given in the categories of directing, screenplay, editing, cinematography, acting, sound-music, and production design within the scope of the festival. The UN Sustainable Development Goals Award and the DFA Special Award will also find their recipients this year.
While continuing its mission to support independent filmmakers, the International Digital Film Festival Istanbul continues its journey with the vision of making Istanbul the global center of digital short film.
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https://espanol.turkiyenewsportal.com/10-peliculas-de-turquia-entre-las-finalistas-de-dffi-2025/
https://deutsch.turkiyenewsportal.com/filme-mit-ki-unterstuetzung-treten-beim-dffi-2025-an/
