ABOUT

EXPERIMENTAL WORKDUVAK: A VEIL OF BEAUTY OR A SHROUD OF OPPRESSION?Duvak (noun): A piece of fine, often sheer fabric worn by brides to cover their head or face, typically as part of a wedding attire.
Veil: A Symbol of Beauty or Oppression?
A bridal veil is often used to adorn the bride, sometimes covering her face. Inspired by this, we placed the veil at the heart of our narrative—to highlight the rights of women and children forced into marriage.Child marriage strips children of their education, leads to early pregnancies with severe health risks, and exposes them to physical and psychological abuse. To shed light on this issue, we created an experimental film where the veil transforms into a noose—a haunting metaphor. Through expressive dance, our character embodies the weight of oppression, the struggle for breath, and ultimately, the fight for freedom.
The diverse settings and geographies featured in the film underscore a universal truth: despite their varied lives, the struggles and challenges endured by women remain strikingly similar.The character's choice of white attire symbolizes purity, cleanliness, and simplicity—attributes that connote innocence and the desire for unblemished integrity.The deliberate use of the bridal veil serves as a metaphorical critique, suggesting that the act of veiling can, in certain contexts, represent an infringement upon women's rights.By binding the veil with a rope, the film powerfully illustrates the notion that such violations precipitate profound psychological and physical distress.Ultimately, the character's liberation from the veil in the film's finale conveys a hopeful message: these systemic issues can be surmounted, and those who suffer possess the inherent strength and right to resist and reclaim their autonomy.
THE TEAMThis project was created with a limited team, fully produced and funded by Twentie’s Film.Directed, edited and conceptualized by Atakan Köse, with cinematography by Mücahit Kılıç and Katrine Haritonova as the model, the film’s color work was done by Aleks Ver. Shot in Istanbul, the locations—metro stations, corporate plazas, and green spaces—were chosen to emphasize a powerful truth: women facing forced marriage and oppression, regardless of geography, share the same pain, the same struggle, and the same silent fight.