alexjames96
- Jul 18, 2022
- 2 min read

Istanbul Short Film Review

★★★★

Istanbul is a moving short film which shows the hidden beauties of the city and allows you to discover the intricate details of the historic buildings, the turquoise oceans, and mesmerising sunsets all from the comfort of your own sofa! If this short doesn’t make you want to catch the next flight to Turkey, I’m not sure what will. Istanbul was shot over two trips and captivates the stunning scenery of the city, with not a single bit of narration, which is not at all necessary as the city does the talking for you, the only thing you need to do is sit back, relax, and immerse yourself within the heart of Istanbul.

This short film begins at Istanbul Airport and shows the hustle and bustle of the people coming from all over the world to see such a beautiful country and city. Time lapses were used frequently within this short. The contrast between the two worked extremely well, with the slow movements of the camera and the fast, vibrancy of the city itself synced perfectly together. The editing for this short film was amazing and looked very professional, not only that but the locations which were selected were a great way to entice the viewer. Beautiful harbours, detailed historic buildings, even taking the audience on a boat tour scaling the coastline of the city allowing us to absorb the vastness and view from an entirely different perspective.

The background music was slightly melancholic in a way, but also dramatic and was great when coupled with the fantastic scenes of Istanbul. An upbeat soundtrack would have been beneficial just to elevate the piece slightly and to reflect the exciting atmosphere of the city. However, the music did work well and created just as good an impact. Istanbul included some fantastic editing; the smooth transitions and use of both slow motion and fast paced editing showed a range of techniques and skills which for a small budget film was very impressive.

This short film reveals the beauty hidden within the city, the viewer is taken on a tour which only invites us in further and want to experience these fantastic scenes for ourselves in the flesh. Istanbul is a wonderful short film that acts as a visual guide and highlights the importance of exploration and to take yourself out of that comfort zone.