Cinema is not Dead; 7 days with Umit

Synopsis:
In London’s Hackney district, Ümit Mesut runs a small shop called Ümit and Son, living like a time capsule in the heart of the digital age. With no mobile phone, no card payment system, and cash-only transactions, Mesut’s devotion to cinema was inherited from his grandfather, who once operated a movie theatre in Cyprus. Every time he mentions his grandfather’s name, his eyes fill with tears—not only for a loved one, but for a fading cultural legacy.

Filmed over the course of seven days inside his shop, this observational documentary closely follows the daily struggles of a small business standing against the pressures of modern life. From a telecom giant (BT) trying to cut off his landline, to customers who no longer carry cash, and the rapid disappearance of analogue cinemas replaced by large corporate venues, Mesut’s world is under constant threat.

Yet, alongside his close friend Leam Pier, Mesut continues to bring his own 35mm and 16mm projectors to regional cinemas for special screenings. Inside his shop, he has a tiny 17-seat “pocket cinema” where he hosts intimate events. The Last Analogist is a portrait of one man’s quiet but determined fight to keep the reels turning.

Short Synopsis:
In a small shop in Hackney, surrounded by shelves of film reels, Ümit Mesut resists the pressures of the digital age. Carrying the analogue cinema passion inherited from his grandfather, The Last Analogist takes us inside his world over seven days, capturing the quiet resistance of a vanishing art form.

Director:   Kamil KOÇ

Producer:      Bilge KOÇ

Cast:           Umit MESUT, Liam SAINT-PIERRE, David KOLAWALE, Bahattin ÇAĞDAŞ

Script             Kamil KOÇ

Editors:            Kamil KOÇ & Bilge KOÇ

Country:             Türkiye / England

Duraiton:           63”

Year:                     2025