Cheat Codes for Marriage A-la-Mode

Some industry people walk into a film screening with their own scripts in their pockets, full of prejudice.

It shows up in their writing and in their videos.

A little research would ruin the illusion. But they are lazy.

So, here are the cheat codes for my second feature, Marriage A-la-Mode (2026).

Though those who understand will understand, and those who don’t won’t.

Cheat Codes for Marriage A-la-Mode

Film #1, A Hero of Our Time (2023), used funds. Film #2, Marriage A-la-Mode (2026), was self-financed.

People call this “inconsistent.” I call it an experiment. The entire concept of my second film was testing whether a project could survive with zero external funding. The most important reason for this experiment was to overcome the sense of self-censorship caused by institutions and the market during the production phase.

I explained the self-censorship concept here: A Guide to Self-Censorship

I know exactly what my first film was.

It was a “dependent” project. I have said this from day one. Doing both methods gave me the data to compare the two films. Here you can see their comparison in terms of their independence: A Lie Detector for Independent Cinema

Production matters more than distribution.

If the actual making of the film was done with absolute freedom and zero expectations, of course, I will use the channels available to get it in the right place. This is the best way to conquer this system from within, to somehow get uncompromising films inside, and to gradually change people’s perspectives by enabling them to make comparisons.

I already explained my exact thoughts on this video and on this post: Flowers, Foxes and Self-Promotion

I am open to collaboration on distribution, but I don’t beg for it.

I already built my own independent ecosystem. For my films, I use Patreon, App Store, and Google Play. For young talent, there is Micmuss Curation. Even in the distribution process, I never compromise; I force the other side into equal cooperation.

Take a look at the distribution story for my first film here: My Damned Film is Now Available

I knew most festivals wouldn’t get Marriage A-la-Mode

Because it didn’t conform to standard industry boxes. And frankly, I didn’t have the patience to play that game anymore. So I didn’t spam film festivals. I targeted. I only needed one specific premiere to complete the experiment’s concept. I never do boycotts. Instead, I show up at the place itself and point out the wrongs right to everyone’s face. And I did it! Adana Film Festival proved the thesis. We even got awarded. All of our actions at the festival were a creative challenge designed to bring out the film’s concept; they were neither an act of disrespect nor an explosion of ego. Check out: Rate Your Festival: Adana

My absence leaves room for others.

Don’t forget: I didn’t apply for that fund; another filmmaker got the money. I didn’t take up a slot at a festival; someone else got to step in and show their work instead. Here you can see a brief explanation of our festival submissions: Central Park Co-Production Meeting

I might apply for funding again.

If I make another “dependent” film tomorrow, I will do it with open eyes. I have been on both sides now. I have a critical baseline. I know exactly how to measure the actual “independence” of whatever I make next. I am not the enemy of the film industry. I just want its flaws exposed and fixed. In this video, I explained the main flaws of the industry.

Read my general suggestions about festivals here: Fair Laurels for Film Festivals.

And here I exposed all the concepts that the cinema industry suffers from: Keywords for The Children of Festivalism, The Death of Independent Cinema, Don’t Expect to Get Rid of the Labels

I am not the one holding the power.

I am at a disadvantage in this industry. I don’t have a built-in network to exploit, and I refuse to engage with people that way. I always prefer to advance based on my merit. My fight is against those who use their power for favoritism and/or discrimination. But ironically, I am treated as if I were the power. I clearly establish my work ethic on my company website, but industry people are lazy; they slap labels onto me and things they don’t even understand.

I am discriminated against, while I need the same support as other filmmakers. I won one of the three major awards at the Adana FF, but those still ignore or attack the film. Plus, major festivals around the world ignore me, even though programmers know my films. It’s an elephant in the room: They select films just because of their subject matter, the identities of those involved, their status as co-productions, or their existing network. Filmmakers like me are left on the outside (you can check out the Operations category; I analyzed their selections).

So it’s only a masterpiece if their “friends” made it. They belittle my cinematic experiments because they come from someone unknown, and someone literally independent. If their own circle had produced similar work, they would be heaping it with endless praise.

Do me a favor: wait until I am actually in a position of power before you attack me. Then you can see who I choose to favor or discriminate against. My political stance is built on these core principles, not whatever is trending on festivals’ socio-political agenda. I assembled the Marriage A-la-Mode cast from people with diverse perspectives; despite many instances where we disagreed, we still managed to produce a work together. I am always open to collaborating with those who criticize me, and anyone who has ever worked with me knows how fair I am as a film producer. Check out how I serve as a jury member, and how I earned my position: Inside The Jury

I am not overconfident; I am just confident.

Because I know what I am doing. Marriage A-la-Mode isn’t an accident: it reflects deep and long-standing thoughts on cinema. It is built on many calculated concepts. People will unveil them one by one when the time is right, but for now, it just needs to cook to create its own context. I already laid the foundation here: Keywords for Mirac Atabey.

Some have dismissed what I did.

Saying: “Experimental films are being made all over the world.” Okay, I challenge anyone to point to another film, anywhere in the history of cinema or happening right now, that takes this kind of raw, naturalistic style and combines it with a meta-narrative that constantly forces the audience to question their role in the film, its believability, and its form. We have a 28-minute one-shot scene; the actors didn’t act it; they lived it. That’s where I set the bar. Bring on similar work. Put it on the table. Let’s compare. Talk is cheap. Show the work. And if you want to know more about the film, read the Films section.

I am sorry, but a visionary film emerged in the northeast of Turkey.

From a Turk of Laz origin with an Arabic name. Some people won’t want to accept this. Okay. Put it on the record: I refuse to accept the part written for me, that of a “Third World artist” whose only job is to show authentic donkeys, the steppes, and urban or rural injustices to the rest of the world. I didn’t spend my whole life in a small town in Turkey. If you want to know more, read the About section.

I don’t play the part of the “traditional director persona”.

Anyone is free to say whatever they want about me or my film. That is the price of putting my work out into the world. But I have the same right to respond. If you get to use your voice, I get to use mine in the channels I have available. Because freedom of expression isn’t something you do alone. You might always get your response. Because I love what I do, and everything related to it matters to me.

I emailed the writer of this review to set the record straight. Her story claimed I canceled all interviews just to talk to someone who hadn’t even asked for one. I mentioned the actual facts: I never canceled a thing. The plan was always to interview one person, and I picked a name off the list that the festival provided. She wrote back and admitted she was wrong. But she didn’t fix the article. When you know the truth, and you refuse to correct the record, in my world, there’s one word for that: It’s called FICTION. (Here’s the interview I did; anyone who wants can also listen to the story from the interviewer).

Here is where you can find my general points about criticism: Criticism is Impudence

I am not against the audience.

Actually, I care about them, so I challenge them. I force them to question things, step off the sidelines, and co-create the film with me. They are part of my creative team. But I don’t make films for a target demographic. My real audience is a ghost. I don’t know what era, culture, or group they belong to, and I refuse to let those labels dictate how I make my art. People might watch films in a theater, but a film is a one-on-one conversation. My work is with the individual, not the crowd. I don’t consider a consensus. I have zero interest in building followers that settle for average likes.

You can get insights in this post: I Want to be Popular

Not being liked might be the worst thing in the world.

But I don’t need you to like me. Keep this in mind: I am giving you these shortcuts for two reasons: first, I want to be known for who I am, not through easy labels; second, I want industry people to do their jobs well. In the end, they are the ones who will look incompetent to those who can see the work for what it is (and time will prove this).

Bonus

Marriage A-la-Mode refuses to stay inside the screen. The film’s world spills over into the real world. At the premiere, an actor from the crew walked on stage and introduced the film: “We did not apply any funds.” He did not mention his role, but people probably thought he was the director. Then the film played. That same actor was on screen, playing a director named Mirac (my name). Now the audience might think: the director is just playing a meta-version of himself. They were wrong. Lights up. Q&A starts. The real me stood up, dressed as another character from the film, since I also had a small role in it. So we pulled the film’s questions about its believability and narrative authority right off the screen and into the room. We turned a screening into a live performance.

And it worked! The audience reacted. But some people, mostly from the industry again, thought it was making fun of the audience. I suppose they want the audience to be as lazy as they are. I, on the other hand, tried to involve them in my creative team by activating and perhaps even provoking them.

And this game doesn’t end in the premiere screening. This transmedia narrative is bleeding into real life. The clues are scattered across the internet; there are 5 of them, waiting for someone curious enough to connect the dots (perhaps it’s time to do some searching, of course, for those who aren’t lazy).

Left: From the set of Marriage A-La-Mode

Right: From the premiere of Marriage A-La-Mode

When & Where Can I Watch the Film?

To quote the film itself: “I don’t know.” I removed all private viewing links. I am paranoid about leaks (as it happened before), and honestly, I want the haters who belittle the film but still want to see it to just stew in their own curiosity. I think the film deserves an Istanbul premiere, though, maybe at the Istanbul FF (because I did not attend it before, and I think it’s fair if I take up some space, just once). We aren’t knocking on festival doors other than that; we only go if invited. Aside from that, my door is open to all kinds of offers.

Note: If industry people pisses me off, I might just put it on Patreon, App Store, and Google Play, all my films will end up there anyway.