Yunus Emre InstituteOn the 7th of March, the Yunus Emre Institute London welcomed a select group of guests to an exclusive and intimate screening of The Silent Route, a stunning animated short film by the talented and awarded director, Merve Cirisoglu. The event was a rare opportunity to watch the film and interact with the director herself in a Q&A session.
The Silent Route is a poignant and powerful story of a young woman, with a newborn and three elderly relatives, who faces obstacles at the border in wartime. Their ox-cart gets stuck near a security post, and while their minds are obsessed with the possibility of being apprehended by the enemy, the magic of humanity brings out something unexpected.
The film is a masterpiece of animation, with beautiful visuals, expressive characters, and a captivating soundtrack. It is written, directed, produced and animated by Merve Cirisoglu, based on an original story by Faisal Hossain. It has a duration of 8:30 mins and belongs to the genre of animation. 
The event started with a warm introduction and welcome by the Yunus Emre Institute London, a leading institution committed to advancing Turkish arts and culture through a variety of educational and cultural programs across the United Kingdom. Then, the guests were treated to a private screening of The Silent Route, which left them in awe and admiration. The struggles and the hopes of the protagonists were some of the deeply touching details that were weaved into the film. After the screening, the director shared the background stories and the creative process of the film, revealing some of the challenges and inspirations behind her work.
Merve talked about the power of animation as a striking tool to convey stories and emotions. She presented her film, The Silent Route, as an inspiring piece on social topics that reflects her creative vision and passion. She explained how the film shows the impact of small acts of kindness on people’s lives and the butterfly effect they can have. She also revealed the source of inspiration for the film: the personal life story of Faisal Hossain. She said that Faisal Hossain had reached out to her to share his story and collaborate on the film. She stressed that the film was a fictional work based on a personal and original story, but also drew from history. She then discussed how she designed the characters, story flow, symbols and the other creative details in the film. She also mentioned that the film had no dialogue, which was a deliberate choice to make the film universal and accessible to everyone. Finally, she talked about the technical production process of the film, and the challenges and achievements she faced along the way.
She also expressed her gratitude and appreciation for the guests and the organizers. The guests then had the chance to ask Merve anything they wanted to know about the film. The Q&A session was lively and engaging, as the guests showed their curiosity and enthusiasm. The event ended with Turkish refreshments, which added a touch of flavour and warmth to the evening.