Murat Vargelci is a New York based filmmaker who began his creative journey in 2020 with the award-winning short screenplay The Poem, which won first prize in Toronto, was later produced, and received multiple accolades.
In 2021, Murat directed his first short film, Desolate, which was named a Semi-Finalist at both the Madrid Film Awards and ARFF Berlin and screened at several international festivals.
He earned his MFA in Film from the City College of New York in 2024. That same year, he completed The Crossbow, a coming-of-age drama that received the Chantal Akerman Award for Best Screenplay, the National Board of Review Student Grant, and the Sara Booth Excellence in Editing Award. The film was selected for the Short Film Corner at the Cannes Film Festival and was also named a Semi-Finalist at the Mirada Corta Short Film Festival.
His third film, Blue Desire (2024), a stylish heist about three women plotting to steal a legendary diamond, premiered at the New York Big Apple Film Festival and was named Runner-Up at the Cunny Film Festival.
His new short film, Hey Giggler, a psychological drama, is now in post-production.
Murat’s work explores identity, vulnerability, and human connection through character-driven stories.