THE CRIMINALS – Serhat Karaaslan (Turkey, 2021) 24’

In a town in Turkey, a young couple looks for some privacy. They are rejected from the hotels because they do not have a marriage certificate. When they think they have found a way, the situation gets out of hand.

Special Jury Award for Screenwriting – Sundance 2021

Director – Serhat Karaaslan

Serhat Karaaslan, from Kurdistan (Turkey), has directed one feature film and several shorts.
His short films were screened and awarded in major festivals like Toronto International Film Festival and Locarno Film Festival. His debut film Passed by Censor (Cannes Cinéfondation Residence), premiered at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2019 where it received the Critics’Award, and was shown at festivals around the world winning several awards along the way. His latest work is The Criminals.