Interview: Numan Acar – The Suitcase (short)

After more or less a solid decade of notable parts in multiple languages (most notably Fatih Akin’s 2017 In the Fade), seasoned German-Turkish actor Numan Acar (who will next be seen in Terrence Malick’s long-awaited The Way of the Wind) returns behind the camera to unpack some personal memories with The Suitcase (aka Waliz). Working with two distinct time frames, the short (which had its world premiere at the 2023 Red Sea Film Festival) looks at themes of displacement, powerlessness and identity, we are witness to all strands of violence on a people who unfortunately come to think of this object as vital to their survival and acts as a lifeline to their past, their family history and physical safety.

Set to make its journey on the festival circuit for 2024, in our conversation, I got to discuss the idea of working with two timelines, the creative use of flashbacks, the landscape utilized in the film and of course asked about his collaborations with Fatih Akin and Terrence Malick.