The Silent Route | Animated Short

THE SILENT ROUTE

an animated short film

by Merve Cirisoglu & Faisal Hossain

Written, Directed & Animated by Merve Cirisoglu

Original Story & Financing by Faisal Hossain

Produced at Animatick Creative Studio

Synopsis

In wartime, a young woman, with a newborn and three elderly relatives, faces obstacles at the border. Their ox-cart gets stuck near a security post. While their minds were obsessed with the possibility of being apprehended by the enemy, the magic of humanity brought out something unexpected.

TRAILER

Watch the Full Movie at Film Festivals!

Our full-length animated movie is currently exclusive to film festivals where it's officially selected. Catch us on the big screen at these events! Keep an eye on this page and social media channels for updates on upcoming private screenings and festival appearances.

The Silent Route has been officially selected by 85 international film festivals across 33 countries, nominated for awards at 37 of them, and won 17 awards, including "Best Animation", "Best Short Film" and "Maestro of Cinema".

Technical Specifications

Technique: 2D frame-by-frame animation
Production date: 1 January 2024
Language: Universal / No dialogue
Runtime: 8:30 mins.
Themes: Human rights, Women, Social issues, War, Migration, Violence
Technology: TV Paint, Photoshop, After Effects
Recommended age: 16+

The Silent Route depicts tragic realities through its unique visual language without exposing the sufferings. Our aim is to raise a dissenting voice emphasizing that life is worth saving everywhere and inviting the audience to embrace their innate goodness. We hope that our animated short film builds empathy by sowing seeds of kindness and compassion in everyone's hearts.

IMDb | The Silent Route

Stages of Animation Production

Every scene in our animation undergoes a detailed journey, from the initial rough key-framing to the final touches in compositing. The development of the first scene is showcased in the time-lapse GIF below.

Early Art Development Insights

Our initial step in the art process involved constructing 3D block outs for the sets, shaping the realistic spacing for our 2D backgrounds. This meticulous approach led to the creation of 168 detailed 2D scene layouts. Our story is brought to life with six main human characters, a cat family, and various prisoners, each crafted with distinct features. The color palette was specially chosen to echo the film's gloomy theme, ensuring a visually cohesive and atmospheric experience across all scenes.

Dan, NASA, USA

"I just watched The Silent Route. It's unbelievably powerful. I'm deeply moved. What a beautiful message! I very much look forward to the release, so I can share with many people—women and men—who will undoubtedly appreciate the profound message, the powerful animation and the overall sense of humanity it evokes."

Faisal, University of Washington, USA

"The Silent Route has a universal message weaved into a real story of humanity for "us Vs them". In today's world where humanity's knee-jerk reaction to inhumanity is to dispense more inhumanity, bigotry for more bigotry, intolerance for more intolerance, where we are all getting baited to flaunt our worst human side and getting painted in a mutually exclusive world (of good vs evil or right vs wrong), TSR gives us pause and makes us ask "where is our humanity heading?" and that a better outcome for all is possible if we hold steadfast to our humanity against all odds."

Stefano, Cornell University, USA

"I just couldn't agree more with the final message. Unfortunately, we live in a world in which people have to be constantly reminded about the importance of kind gestures as well respect (for everybody's life), and you found a wonderful way of conveying the message!"

Ali, University of Rhode Island, USA

"What a powerful way to share the story and also recognize the sacrifices, the struggles, the kindness and the helping hands that have brought us where we are. Viva la vida!"

Kenzy, University of London, UK

"It was truly a masterpiece! It was really well thought out and it shed light on very important subject matters. The message your movie sent and portrayed is truly a very important message that one act of kindness can go a long way. The world needs more people like you who use their talent for the greater good and actually have an important message to send to the world!"

AWARDS & NOMINATIONS

"Best Animated Short Film" - 4th Kinokavkaz Film Festival, Balkar Republic, Russia
"Best Animation" - 3rd Kocaeli Film Festival, Kocaeli, Turkey
"Best Animation" - 13th International Youth Film Festival “Light to the World” - Kinofestival, Yaroslavskaya, Russian Federation
"Best Animation" - Aegean Film Festival, Izmir, Turkey
"Best Animation" - 3rd Daejeon International Haru Film Festival, Daejeon, South Korea
"Best Animation" - 3rd Bridge of Peace, Paris, France
"Best Animation" - 11th Mumbai Entertainment International Film Festival, Mumbai, India
"Best Animation" - 7th 21 Islands International Short Film Fest, New York City, US
"Best Animation" - 15th Tracce Cinematografiche Film Fest, Roma, Italy
"Best Short Film" - 16th ilCORTO International Film Festival of Rome, Roma, Italy
"Best Film, Women's Rights" - 3rd Apedemak International Animation Festival, Cairo, Egypt
"Gold Medal in Best Animation" - 11th Film Olympiad, Athens, Greece
"Honorable Mention" - 3rd The Varsity Film Expo, Lusaka, Zambia
"Silver Medal in Best Message" - 11th Film Olympiad, Athens, Greece
"Silver Medal in Best Human Rights Film" - 11th Film Olympiad, Athens, Greece
"Silver Medal in Best Sound Design" - 11th Film Olympiad, Athens, Greece
"Maestro of Cinema" - 8th Calcutta International Cult Film Festival, Kolkata, India
"Finalist" - International Turan Film Festival, Izmir, Turkey
"Finalist" - 14th Visualízame Festival, Pontevedra, Spain
"Finalist" - 16th Siciliambiente Film Festival, Sicily, Italy
"Finalist" - 6th International Amity Short Film Festival, Istanbul, Turkey
"Finalist" - Chennai Word Cinema Festival, Chennia, India
"Finalist" - BAFTA Qualifying festival: 9th Thessaloniki Animation Festival, Thessaloniki, Greece
"Finalist" - 2nd Lahore International Film Festival Awards, Lahore, Pakistan
"Finalist" - 11th Canlandiranlar Animation Film Festival, Istanbul, Turkey
"Finalist" - 2nd The Rivers International Film Festival, Rivers, Nigeria
"Finalist" - 9th Kısadan Hisse Short Film Festival, Istanbul, Turkey
"Finalist" - 9th The International Festival For Human Rights Films, Tunis, Tunisia
"Finalist" - 12th Silk Road International Film Festival, Istanbul, Turkey
"Finalist" - 4th ANIMATIBA International Animation Festival, Curitiba, Brazil
"Finalist" - 14. EU Human Rights Film Days (AB İnsan Hakları Kısa Film Yarışması), Ankara, Turkey
"Finalist" - 3rd The Writers Journey International Istanbul Short Film Festival, Istanbul, Turkey
"Semi-Finalist" (among 7,500 films) - 28th the Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival, Rhode Island, USA
"Semi-Finalist" - Islamabad International Film Festival, Islamabad, Pakistan & Istanbul, Turkey
"Semi-Finalist" - Woman, Life, Freedom Film Festival, Queensland, Australia
"Quarter-Finalist" - Access Granted: A Disability-Inclusive Film Festival, Batangas, Philippines
"Quarter-Finalist" (among 1355 films) - 2nd Batangas Balisong Film Festival, Batangas, Philippines

OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

3rd ONED Art Film Festival, Beijing, China & Toulouse, France
8th Women International Film Festival (WIFF), Islamabad, Pakistan
3rd Rendacon Animation Film Festival, Lagos, Nigeria
23rd MONSTRA Lisbon Animation Festival, Lisbon, Portugal
6th In Short, Europe: Best of Best Film Festival, London - Glasgow, UK
3rd Itabaiana International Film Festival, Sergipe, Brazil
12th FERFILM International Film Festival, Ferizaj, Kosovo
International Turan Film Festival, Izmir, Turkey
8th Calcutta International Cult Film Festival, Kolkata, India
2nd CINE RO – Rondônia Film Festival, Rondonia, Brazil
Sound & Vision Short Film Night, London, UK
14th Visualízame Festival, Pontevedra, Spain
15th Sinepark Short Film Festival, Istanbul, Turkey
Islamabad International Film Festival, Islamabad, Pakistan & Istanbul, Turkey
4th Kinokavkaz Film Festival, Balkar Republic, Russia
3rd Kocaeli Film Festival, Kocaeli, Turkey
Access Granted: A Disability-Inclusive Film Festival, Batangas, Philippines
3rd The Movies Plus Film Festival, Pennsylvania, US
3rd Vilafames International Film Festival, Castellón, Spain
17th Ibero-American Animated Film Festival - Baixada Animada 2024, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2nd Batangas Balisong Film Festival, Batangas, Philippines
16th Siciliambiente Film Festival, Sicily, Italy
12th The International Animated Film Festival "Constantine’s Gold Coin, Nis, Serbia
9th Galapán Film Festival, Jaén, Spain
21st Festimaj International Film Festival, Vendee, France
17th Islantilla Cinefórum Film Festival, Huelva, Spain
28th the Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival, Rhode Island, USA
5th International Christian Film Festival of Bogotá (FICCBOG), Bogota, Colombia
13th International Youth Film Festival “Light to the World” - Kinofestival, Yaroslavskaya, Russian Federation
16th Bugarte Film and Visual Arts Festival, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
Woman, Life, Freedom Film Festival, Queensland, Australia
8th Chaniartoon - International Comic & Animation Festival, Chania, Greece
3rd Film Festival Pino Scicolone, Rome, Italy
8th Calibélula International Children's and Youth Film Festival, Cali, Colombia
5th Heritales International Heritage Film Festival, Montemor-o-Novo, Portugal
3rd The Kaaffilm Short Film Festival, Milan, Italy
7th FICNOVA - ANIFF; International Film Festival, Madrid, Spain
6th International Amity Short Film Festival, Istanbul, Turkey
Chennai Word Cinema Festival, Chennia, India
15th KINOdiseea International Children Film Festival, Bucharest, Romania
Aegean Film Festival, Izmir, Turkey
5th CineOdyssey Animation Festival, North Carolina, US
9th Thessaloniki Animation Festival, Thesselanonik, Greece
2nd Lahore International Film Festival Awards, Lahore, Pakistan
11th Canlandiranlar Animation Film Festival, Istanbul, Turkey
2nd The Rivers International Film Festival, Rivers, Nigeria
3rd Daejeon International Haru Film Festival, Daejeon, South Korea
4th The Tanzanite International Animation Festival, Dar es salaam, Tanzania
25th Mostra Curtas Noia Short Film Festival, A Coruña, Spain
9th Kısadan Hisse Short Film Festival, Istanbul, Turkey
5th International Short Film Festival Cine Mundo, Río Negro, Argentina
3rd Bridge of Peace, Paris, France
11th Film Olympiad, Athens, Greece
7th Rieti e Sabina Film Festival, Roma, Italy
9th The International Festival For Human Rights Films, Tunis, Tunisia
8th The Link International Film Festival, Middlesex, United Kingdom
12th Silk Road International Film Festival, Istanbul, Turkey
11th Mumbai Entertainment International Film Festival, Mumbai, India
The Human Screen Child Festival, Tunis, Tunisia
7th 21 Islands International Short Film Fest, New York City, US
23rd Dhaka International Film Festival, Dhaka, Bangladesh
11th Censurados Film Festival, Arequipa, Peru
16th ilCORTO International Film Festival of Rome, Roma, Italy
17th Santo Domingo Global Film Festival, Santo Doming, Dominican Republic
The Kuala Lumpur International Film Awards, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kült Kavaklıdere Kısa Film Gösterimi, Ankara, Turkey
8th The International Biennal Dona i Cinema – Mujer y Cine – Woman & Film, Valencia, Spain
3rd Love Peace and Freedom Film Festival, Chiapas, Mexico
6th Amnesty International Film Festival for Human Rights, France
4th ANIMATIBA International Animation Festival, Curitiba, Brazil
22nd Filmare la Storia, Torino, Italy
10th Galapán Film Festival Santiago-Pontones, Jaen, Spain
14th Festival Alhama Ciudad de Cine, Granada, Spain
8th Great Message International Film Festival, Maharashtra, India
14th EU Human Rights Film Days (AB İnsan Hakları Kısa Film Yarışması), Ankara, Turkey
3rd The Varsity Film Expo 2024, Lusaka, Zambia
9th Video Hackers Film Festival, Alessandria, Italy
8th International Biennal Dona i Cinema - Mujer y Cine - Woman & Film, Valencia, Spain
MÜSİAD Altın Çark International Short Film Festival, Istanbul, Turkey
3rd Apedemak International Animation Festival, Cairo, Egypt
3rd The Writers Journey International Istanbul Short Film Festival, Istanbul, Turkey
2nd Euboea International Short Film Festival, Skyros, Greece
15th Tracce Cinematografiche Film Fest, Roma, Italy
15th Mediterraneo Festival Corto International Short Film Competition, Cosenza, Italy
TIAF - Tbilisi 8th International Animation Festival, Tbilisi, Georgia

PRIVATE SCREENING

Yunus Emre Institute, London, United Kingdom (07.03.2024)

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