Turkish film festival (for NY'ers)

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

It is probably no accident that two countries which find themselves at the
bleeding edge of neoliberal "development"--Turkey and Argentina--are also
home to some of the most vibrant film-making in the world today. In both
countries, there are sharp contradictions between country and city, between
rich and poor, between tradition and modernity and between state repression
and the thirst for freedom. Film-makers, who have a modicum of sensitivity,
will inevitably find themselves compelled to address these dualities.
Although I am much more familiar with Argentine film, there is at least one
Turkish film that I have seen recently that is in a class by itself, namely
"Journey to the Sun", which depicts the struggle of a young Turk to return
the corpse of a Kurd to his home village--his dying wish:
http://www.columbia.edu/~lnp3/mydocs/culture/journey_to_the_sun.htm

One can only expect that many treasures are in store over the next few
weeks at Anthology Film Archives in NYC, which is sponsoring a Turkish film
festival: http://www.anthologyfilmarchives.org/index2.html. These
selections should give you an indication of the sort of film that await you:

Orhan Oguz
HERSEYE RAGMEN / IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING
1987, 96 minutes, Drama. In Turkish with English subtitles.

Well-known director Orhan Oguz's first feature film won a Youth Award at
the Cannes Film Festival, and tells the story of Hasan (Talat Bulut), a
recently released prisoner looking to rebuild his life. Impaired by poor
social skills, minimal education, and a distrustful disposition, he
nonetheless meets a woman and child who help him turn things around. Winner
of the Best Picture Award at the 1st Ankara Film Festival, and deemed an
"outstanding European film" at the 1988 European Cinema Festival in Italy.
Oguz, an award-winning cinematographer, also directed the popular Turkish
television series SUPER BABA (Super Father).

===

Atif Yilmaz
BERDEL
1990, 85 minutes, Drama. In Turkish with English subtitles.

After the birth of six daughters, Omer (Tarik Akan) demands a son and
engages in the rural custom of 'berdel' - the exchange of a daughter for a
wife. Although not a widely practiced custom in contemporary Turkey, the
film is a poignant account of machismo and its destructive effects on a
family. It also sheds light on village life and the intense pressures
stemming from a tradition-bound community.

===

Handan Ipekci
BUYUK ADAM KUCUK ASK / HEJAR / BIG MAN, LITTLE LOVE
2001, 120 minutes, Drama. In Turkish and Kurdish with English subtitles.

This controversial - and recently banned - film was unanimously nominated
to represent Turkey at the Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Film
category. At the film's heart is the relationship between a nationalist,
authoritarian judge (Sukran Gungor) and a five-year-old Kurdish orphan
(Dilan Ercetin). The judge, who is the girl's neighbor, takes her in
following a botched police raid that results in the death of her guardian.
The winner of several awards, including Best Picture at Turkey's
prestigious Golden Orange Film Festival (2001). Also starring veteran
theater and film actress Yildiz Kenter.


Louis Proyect
www.marxmail.org


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