SHADOWTIME: A TALK ON VIRTUAL REALITY

Thursday June 11, 19.00

How do we see the world, how do we record it, and how do we remember it? In this conversation accompanying the VR film Shadowtime, by Sister Sylvester and Deniz Tortum, researcher Nurten Bayraktar, scholar Reşat Fuat Çam, curator/writer Karen Cirillo, and filmmaker Deniz Tortum come together to discuss how virtual reality and emerging media technologies are transforming perception, how new narratives around the climate crisis can be imagined, and how virtual environments are redefining our sense of reality. The conversation offers different perspectives on reading the crises of today and tomorrow through the history and technologies of media.

ABOUT THE GUESTS

Deniz Tortum is a director, screenwriter, and new media artist specializing in immersive media. His films explore the relationship between humans and technology, ethical conflicts, and the climate crisis rapidly affecting our world. His work questions how virtual reality technologies shape our worldview and behaviors.

Nurten Bayraktar is a researcher and strategist who develops frameworks for applying environmental sustainability to the fields of film, media, and cultural production. She is the co-founder of Ecofilm: Sustainable Production Platform. Believing in the power of storytelling for social and ecological transformation, Bayraktar also works as a media consultant for film festivals in this field.

Reşat Fuat Çam is an academic and director whose research focuses on the role of virtual reality and artificial intelligence in cinema. He completed his PhD in Cinema Studies at York University, where he conducted research on 3D and virtual reality filmmaking. Currently, he serves as the Head of the Cinema Department at Istanbul Bilgi University, where he teaches courses on AI and filmmaking.

Karen Cirillo is a cultural worker, curator, writer, and producer specializing in documentary film and immersive art. Her work explores the intersections between visual anthropology and documentary cinema, with a strong focus on human rights issues.