SPECIAL MENTION ESCAPISM Kaçanlar November 25 - December 6, 2024 Short | 15 min. | 2023 | with English subtitles Directed by Deniz Cengiz Cast: Ceren Taşçı, Deniz Cengiz, Sinan Arslan Two childhood friends, who have drifted towards opposite worldviews, reunite after a long time. One has become a mother, while the other has advanced in her career. Through the characters, a perspective is offered on individuals caught in the deadlock of intertwined gender roles and societal expectations.   Selected Festivals and Awards Golden Short Film Festival, Italy (2024): Golden Screenplay Winner Kaş Short Film Festival, Short Film Competition, Türkiye (2024): Best Acting Awars (Deniz Cengiz, Ceren Taşçı) Adana Golden Boll Film Festival, International Short Film Competition, Türkiye (2024) Directed By Women, Short Film Competition, Türkiye (2024) FerFilm Festival, Kosovo (2024) Labor Film Festival, Türkiye (2024) San Francisco Frozen Film Festival, USA (2024)   Deniz CENGİZ Deniz Cengiz (1989, Istanbul) graduated with a degree in Acting from the Faculty of Art and Design at Istanbul Kültür University. She continued her education by earning a master's degree in New Media at Yeditepe University. Before transitioning to filmmaking, Deniz honed her comedic writing skills by contributing to content websites and TV talk shows. Her acting career has seen her take on roles in a variety of TV series, movies, and theater productions. "Escapism" marks Deniz's debut as a writer and director, showcasing her talent for storytelling and visual media.