Hezarfen - The (3 Minute) Movie

Hezârfen Ahmed Çelebi was a legendary Ottoman of 17th-century Istanbul, purported to have achieved sustained unpowered flight.

However, if we are to believe what we see here, his attempts were not without their problems.

Yet this (quite possibly historically inaccurate look) at what happened in Istanbul back in 1632 gives another side to the story.

As the young Hezârfen leans from a high minaret he has second thoughts about his ability to fly – yet he inadvertently sets about a chain of events which the residents of Istanbul will remember for a long time to come.

Tolga Ari was the Team Leader and Technical Director on this wonderfully slapstick piece of animation. Romain Blanchet was the Art Director and Remy Hurlin the Lead Animator.  In charge of FX was Chung-Yu Huang.

Altogether this is a great piece – self contained but something that should really lead on to full feature (they may have to put some clothes on the harem girls, however!).