Ipek Ural Demirel, Ali Demirel

The Magic Wrap

Young couple OZAN and EM journey to the City of Opportunities with high hopes, but their dreams turn into a mysterious crime caper after biting into a magic döner, leading them to unexpectedly run a convenience store.

SYNOPSIS

OZAN, an ambitious but socially awkward programmer, needs to escape his traditional family's pressures and become successful in his own way. He and his aimless girlfriend EM, from a wealthy family and yearning for a carefree life, move to a bustling European city for a fresh start. They often visit a quirky convenience store run by HIKMET ABI, a warm Turkish immigrant from the 60s, where they learn about immigrant experiences and the city's diverse culture. When investors decide not to fund Ozan's startup, the universe sends them “The Magic Wrap”. After a juicy bite, they wake up in Hikmet's store, with neither Hikmet nor any memories. CCTV footage reveals they took Hikmet, wrapped in a carpet, and took him out. Oops! Em lies to the police and nosy neighbor ESTHER, claiming Hikmet is on vacation and they’re temporarily running the store. Their situation worsens when Ismail, Hikmet’s nephew with mafia debts, arrives, forcing them to actually run the store and earn a lot while hopelessly searching for Hikmet. Everyone pitches in their own way, even lazy Em. The store becomes popular day by day. As their efforts to find Hikmet intensify, the growing popularity of the store draws unwanted attention from Esther and the police. The couple finds themselves in hot water! As the police arrest the couple for Hikmet's disappearance, Ismail reveals that Hikmet is living his dream life in Hawaii due to the carpet mix-up right at the beginning and has left a letter transferring the store to them. Ozan, despite his unexpected path to success, and Em, who finds her passion in an environment she never imagined, will inherit new challenges, but they aren’t the naive duo they once were. Inevitably, out of the cozy bubble, you’ll find a new you.

CREATORS/WRITERS/DIRECTORS
Ipek Ural Demirel, Ali Demirel

PRODUCERS
Diloy Gülün
Beste Yamalioglu

PRODUCTION COMPANY
Karma Films

COUNTRY
Türkiye

FORMAT
30' x 9

GENRE
Comedy

Ipek Ural Demirel

IPEK URAL DEMIREL was born in Istanbul in 1989. After attending an American elementary school, an Austrian high school, and earning a BA in Philosophy at Galatasaray University, she completed her MA in Cognitive Science at the University of Vienna. Here, due to her background in theater, she conducted research on the physical expression of emotions. In 2013, she returned to Turkey and entered the video industry. She worked as a copywriter, producer, and director on various projects. In 2018, Ipek and Ali decided to move to Berlin and started working as a directing duo.

Ali Demirel

ALI DEMIREL, born in Istanbul in 1989, pursued his passion for the arts from a young age. After studying fine arts in high school, he ventured into the world of Graphic Design. Following his graduation, he swiftly made his mark as a director in the industry. Within a short span, he rose to prominence in the Turkish commercial sphere. In 2017, he achieved the distinction of becoming the youngest director ever to receive the Best Commercial Film Director Crystal Apple award for his work on the İZ BIRAKANLAR (2016) commercial film, a contribution to the IKSV Film Festival. This feat was repeated in 2021, further solidifying his position. His video clips have collectively garnered over 300 million views. In 2018, he relocated to Berlin, diverging from the conventional commercial ad arena. His focus shifted towards crafting politically charged and activist-oriented mash-up videos, which delved into profound societal themes. He initiated these projects within the context of his research under the Marie Curie program at Babelsberg Film University. His pioneering work in this realm was subsequently documented in an article published by the NECS-European Network for Cinema and Media Studies. Significantly, at the close of 2023, Ali was bestowed the prestigious Bessy Ferrera Fund by Hivos' Digital Advocates Partnership.

CREATORS’ STATEMENT

Inspired by our own relocation experiences from Turkey to Europe, THE MAGIC WRAP is a captivating project blending humor, mystery, and the immigrant experience. As writer-directors, we center our story around convenience stores that provided insights into diverse lives. THE MAGIC WRAP, which can be set in any metropolis, blends crime, mystery, and comedy, creating an upbeat narrative through magical realism. Using a magic döner as a metaphorical catalyst, we push characters beyond their comfort zones, blurring the line between reality and imagination. Our characters discover hidden talents, form deep connections, and embrace the unknown. We’re excited to shed light on topical issues like immigration through entertaining storytelling.

Diloy Gülün

DILOY GÜLÜN started working as PA in 1996. In 2004, she produced Ahmet Ulucay’s BOATS OUT OF WATERMELON RINDS (2004), winning 8 awards in several international festivals. She founded Karma Films in 2003 and line-produced several feature films, including CHARLIE’S ANGELS (2019), INFERNO (2016), AMERICAN ASSASSIN (2017), TAKEN 2 (2012), THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST (2012), THE INTERNATIONAL (2009), NARROW FRAME OF MIDNIGHT (2014) and many others as well as documentaries and over 300 commercials. She produced the Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Dramatic winner BUTTERFLIES (2018) by Tolga Karacelik and received 30+ awards in several notable festivals. She recently co-produced a feminist thriller called THE HUNT (2020) by Emre Akay, a black comedy digital TV series I, BARTU (2018) by Tolga Karacelik, and as well as Selman Nacar’s debut film BETWEEN TWO DAWNS (2021) which premiered at San Sebastian Film Festival New Directors section and won Best Film Award at Torino Film Festival. Among the films she co-produced are Michael Borodin's Russian film CONVENIENCE STORE (2022), which premiered at Berlinale Panorama and won an award, and Maryam Keshavarz's THE PERSIAN VERSION (2023), which premiered at Sundance FF and returned with the Audience Award. She produced the Netflix series YAKAMOZ (2022) starring Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ. She is currently developing projects for digital platforms and producing Selman Nacar's second feature film, HESITATION LINE (2023), which will premiere at the Venice Film Festival.

Production company profile

KARMA FILMS was established in 2003 to deliver production support to international filmmakers. Karma Films provided services for numerous films such as CHARLIE’S ANGELS (2019), PALPITO 2 (2023), TAKEN 2 (2012), and INFERNO (2016). They also develop and produce film and media projects with a local and international focus, premiering at A-list film festivals such as HESITATION WOUND (2023), THE PERSIAN VERSION (2023), CONVENIENCE STORE (2022), BETWEEN TWO DAWNS and BUTTERFLIES (2018).

diloy@karma-films.com

Where are we at?

ESTIMATED PRODUCTION BUDGET FOR THE FIRST SEASON
3.733.470.00 €

FINANCING IN PLACE
650.000 €

Production timeline

JANUARY - AUGUST 2024
Development

SEPTEMBER 2024 - MAY 2025
Pre-production

JUNE - JULY - AUGUST 2025
Production

SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2025
Post-production

MARCH - APRIL 2025
Release and marketing

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