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World Film Report: Turkey (December 2009)
The title for Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s next project is: Once Upon a Time in Anatolia. The leading role will be assigned to Yilmaz Erdogan, a famous Turkish writer, director and actor. Erdogan is best known by his box-office winner films like Vizontele, Magic Carpet Ride, Neseli Hayat. It was a surprise selection on Ceylan’s part to choose Erdogan, who also happens to be a popular figure on local television. Taking place in the p.m. portion of the day, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia follows the life of a doctor and a prosecutor. Both Ceylan and Erdogan aren’t releasing any further details for now, but we’ll update the status of the project in 2010.
Our Turkish film correspondent Onur Ertugrul is back with us with some great news on the next project for one of the decades’ best auteurs.
Turkish Film Scene – Local:
LATEST FILM OF ZEKİ DEMİRKUBUZ: KISKANMAK (Envy)
One of the best known directors in Turkey is without a doubt, Zeki Demirkubuz. His independent films are simple in design, but offer the darker side in the human condition. However, with his new film Kıskanmak, he tried something very different. He adapted an old Turkish book of Nahid Sırrı Örik which was published in 1946. The film occurs in the 1930’s Turkey, a small town called Zonguldak. An ugly woman Seniha is living with her brother and his wife Mükerrem. When Mükerrem is having an affair with a beautiful man, Seniha uses the situation according to her wills and envy.
As in the previous works of Demirkubuz, Kiskanmak (Envy) is about the dark side of the humans, with this film’s atmosphere being the darkest setting that he has worked in. First off, this looks at the historical background – which is a first for Demirkubuz and as a result brings a perfect ambience to the film. Ultimately, the critics didn’t receive the film in the same positive light as his previous items.
KOSMOS / NEW FILM FROM THE DIRECTOR OF TIMES AND WINDS, REHA ERDEM
Reha Erdem might just be Turkey’s most creative and perhaps the most “peculiar” filmmaker. He won the Best Director and Best Film Awards from The Golden Orange Film Festival, which is the most prestigious film award you can find in Turkey and his latest film “Kosmos” is set to open on January 8th.
The film is about a thief named Kosmos, who runs away from everything and settles in a timeless unknown town. The unique characteristic in Kosmos is that he can make miracles. By the settlement of Kosmos to the town, we find a concoction of love, theft and miracles…leading locals to grow weary of him. Word is that this film embodies much of the characteristics found in his previous films My Only Sunshine and Times and Winds. Fans of Erdem will surely not be disappointed.
NEW FILM OF NURİ BİLGE CEYLAN: ONE UPON A TIME IN ANATOLIA
The title for Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s next project is: Once Upon a Time in Anatolia. The leading role will be assigned to Yilmaz Erdoğan, a famous Turkish writer, director and actor (see headline pic above with the shades). Erdoğan is best known by his box-office winner films like Vizontele, Magic Carpet Ride, Neşeli Hayat.
It was a surprise selection on Ceylan’s part to choose Erdoğan, who also happens to be a popular figure on local television. Taking place in the p.m. portion of the day, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia follows the life of a doctor and a prosecutor. Both Ceylan and Erdoğan aren’t releasing any further details for now, but we’ll update the status of the project in 2010.
Turkish Film Scene – Abroad:
CineMart, the Rotterdam film festival’s co-production market, has announced that Belma Bas’s project Zephyr (Filmik Productions) is among the selected projects. The helmer directed the 2006 short film, Poyraz.
Onur Ertugrul is the editor-in-chief for Bakiniz.com.
