about sis gürdal

Sis Gürdal studied International Politics and Film Studies at King’s College London before producing advertising and fashion campaigns for brands including Prada, Chanel, Calvin Klein, and Nike. She later turned to writing and directing her own films.

Her debut short, Postcards From The Orient (2020), premiered at the BAFTA-qualifying Aesthetica Short Film Festival and won Best Experimental Film at the Melbourne Short Film Festival and the Global Voices Film Festival, presented by UN Women USA.

Her narrative debut, A Quiet Summer (2023), premiered at the Red Sea Film Festival and received an Honorable Mention at the Akbank Short Film Festival. Her most recent short, Porkatal (2026), premiered at the Sarajevo Film Festival, where it received a Special Mention.

She is a TIFF Every Story Fellow and an alumna of the TIFF Filmmaker Lab, Cine Qua Non Lab, and the Doha Film Institute’s Hezayah Screenwriting Lab. She is currently developing her first feature, Let Me Explain.

filmography

Let Me Explain (Feature Film, In development) - Writer, Director

Porkatal (Narrative Short Film, 2026) - Writer, Director, Co-Producer

Special Mention Award, Short Film Competition, Sarajevo Film Festival, 2026

A Quiet Summer (Narrative Short Film, 2022) - Writer, Director, Producer

Official Selection, International Competition, Red Sea Film Festival, 2022

Honourable Mention Award, Akbank Short Film Festival, 2023

Official Selection, Flying Broom International Women's Film Festival, 2023

Official Selection, International Competition, Les Nuits MED, 2023

Official Selection, International Competition, Outdoor Short Film Festival of Grenoble, 2023

Passaggi d'Autore: Intrecci mediterranei Festival, 2023

Panorama Section, Izmir International Short Film Festival, 2023

Official Selection, Filmfestival Türkei Deutschland, 2024

Official Selection, Worldwide Women's Film Festival, 2024

Official Selection, International Women Filmmaker's Festival, 2024

Official Selection, Beirut Women Film Festival, 2024

Best Short Film Award, Indie Line Film Festival, 2024

Official Selection, Bolton Film Festival 2024

Official Selection, Not Film Fest 2024

Official Selection, Divine Feminine Film Fest 2024

Postcards From The Orient (Experimental Short Film, 2020) - Director, Producer

Official Selection, Aesthetica Short Film Festival, 2021

Best Experimental Film, Melbourne Short Film Festival 2021

Best Experimental Film, Global Voices Film Festival UN Women USA, 2021

Honorable Mention Award, Women's Voices Now Festival 2021

Official Selection, Sydney Women's International Film Festival, 2021

Official Selection, Beirut International Women Film Festival, 2021