Toll Booth

Tolga Karaçelik's first feature uses the confined space of a toll booth to arresting and surprising visual effect. It is beautifully shot, through a combination of well-composed tableaus and intimate close-ups. It follows Kenan, a 35 year-old customs officer, played with subtle intensity by Serkan Ercan who won several awards for his performance. Kenan is so ordinary that his colleagues refer to him as "Robot". But to Kenan's, life inside his head space is far more interesting and fascinating than everyday life on the outside. One day his boss decides to relocate him to a small toll booth somewhere off the beaten track, which turns out to have serious consequences for Kenan.

Tolga Karaçelik (b. 1981) is one of Turkey’s leading young directors. He has also published short stories and poems and is an experienced cinematographer. Karaçelik’s first feature Toll Booth (2010) screened at film festivals worldwide, whereas his two next films both have premiered at the prestigious Sundance festival. Karaçelik is one of the guests at this year's festival.