“Take a Breath” is a short animation about a man named Murat who takes a walk in Paris while dreaming of nature and freedom. The film was directed by Turkish journalist Beraat Gokkus and shot on an iPhone 11 using the FiLMiCPro camera app. The director provides a brief note about the production following the film…

Facebook

Twitter

Savvy filmmakers often borrow literary devices to tell their stories. For example, a few weeks ago we showcased “Oreb,” which used personification to picture Rome in the time of Covid. With “Ghosts,” Diego Escobar and Natalia Varela employ a child’s point of view to capture the pandemic in El Salvador. An interview with the imaginative and resource…

Facebook

Twitter

The opening shot of “Paris Lockdown” features a street singer, two people dancing, and scores of others enjoying themselves near the Eiffel Tower. Given the film’s title, the image is surprising—even shocking. But with the second shot—the same plaza although now deserted—we realize that the filmmaker Beraat Gokkus has brilliantly used narrative contrast to accentuate…

Facebook

Twitter