«The Librarian» by Serkan Aktaş

Journey into the literary soul with The Librarian, a touching short film that explores themes of isolation, identity, and the power of books. As director Serkan Aktaş says, “The starting point of the film ‘The Librarian’ was to build a story through one of the lonely and uncommunicative people who are affected by social life, who have boundaries within themselves and who want to break these boundaries.”

Mazhar, a soft-spoken librarian, finds solace in the stacks of books he meticulously organizes and the languages he masters. But his intellectual pursuits have left him disconnected from the changing world around him. When tragic news about refugees shakes him to his core, Mazhar realizes he can no longer remain in his literary cocoon. After losing his job, this gentle recluse must venture beyond the library walls in a reluctant search for his place in society.

As Aktaş explains, “the film’s protagonist is a reader, a lover of books, moreover, a person who greatly appreciates the human-society-life connections provided by language, and he tries to ‘learn a language’ for this very purpose to read a poet he loves in his own language.” The spread of Arabic culture and language in Mazhar’s country has created an inner conflict and deep crisis in him, which will lead the film’s author to excavate an investigation around the theme of splitting, a metaphor for the dissociation of the present times. Emotional shock over tragic refugee news and unemployment drive the protagonist to a desperate search for solutions, and for himself.

Featuring an impressive dual performance by protagonist Mustafa AydınKey, The Librarian is a poignant character study and a reflection on the alienating power of books and the struggle to adapt to a changing world. With its timely themes and evocative cinematography, this film is sure to provoke discussion and resonate with audiences long after the credits roll.