MWFF 2011 | SHADOWS AND FACES

MONTREAL WORLD FILM FESTIVAL August 18 to 28, 2011SHADOWS AND FACES | GOLGELER VE SURETLER
Turkey
Out of Competition 2010 / Colour / 116 min

Director : Dervis Zaim Script : Dervis Zaim
Photography : Emre Erkmen Editor : Aylin Zoi
Cast : Hazar Erguçlu, Osman Alkas, Popi Avraam, Settar Tanriogen, Bugra Gulsoy, Erol Refikoglu, Constantinos Gavriel, Pandelis Antonas, Ahmet Karabiber

SHADOWS AND FACES
Cyprus, 1963. The government has just recently declared its independence, but the two major ethnic groups on the island cannot come to an agreement about how the country will be governed. The Turks and the Greeks had seemed to get along, but this changes with the uprising of anarchist groups on both sides. In a small village where Turks and Greeks had been living peacefully, Salih, a Karagoz shadow play master and his daughter Ruhsar, driven from their home by the Greek police, go to their relative Veli in the next village, looking for a shelter. Veli, the elder statesman of the Turkish community there, believes he can appease the mounting tension between Greeks and Turks by keeping a low profile, and he is supported by his Greek neighbour, the local innkeeper, Anna, who tries to calm down her own people, most particularly her hot-headed son, Thanassis. The latter sees a few guns being dug up by young Turks in Veli's garden, then the Greek police bring in a whole load of weapons which they plant in Anna's house despite her protests. The Turks notice and start training in secret with their antiquated rifles, with Veli losing control over the young Turks who believe they should be the first to attack before it is too late. The Greeks retaliate, the violence escalates and many Turks are driven from their villages. When Ruhsar loses her father, she gets occasional help from his Anna, but she cannot help but become apprehensive about a woman who represents the oppression that is enveloping her...

Dervis Zaim
Born in Famagusta, Cyprus in 1964, Dervis Zaim graduated from Warwick University in England and studied film production in London. In 1995, his first novel, Ares in Wonderland, won the prestigious Yunus Nadi literary prize in Turkey. A year later he made an auspicious debut as a director with SOMERSAULT IN A COFFIN. Among his other films: ELEPHANTS AND GRASS (2000), MUD (2003), WAITING FOR HEAVEN (2006) and DOT (2008), shown at the Montreal World Film Festival.

Derviş Zaim

Director

Derviş Zaim

Filmography 1996 Tabutta Rövaşata/Somersault in a Coffin 2000 Filler ve Çimen/Elephants and Grass 2003 Çamur/Mud 2006 Cenneti Beklerken/Waiting for Heaven 2008 Nokta/Dot Biography He was born in Famagusta, Cyprus in 1964, graduated from Warwick University in England and studied Film Production in London. In 1995, his first novel, "Ares in Wonderland", won the prestigious Yunus Nadi literary prize in Turkey. A year later he made an auspicious debut as a director with "Somersault in a Coffin", which won various awards, including the Silver Alexander at the Thessaloniki IFF 1997. All of his films have received honors and awards in film festivals around the world.

Montreal 08 | DOT by Dervis Zaim

NOKTA/DOT by Dervis Zaim
Focus on World Cinema
Turkey 2008 / Colour / 80 min

PRODUCTION TEAM
Director :Dervis Zaim
Script :Dervis Zaim
Photography :Ercan Yilma

Cast :
Mehmet Ali, Berhat Kilia, Sether Tanriógen

DOT
Ahmet decides to help his friend Selim sell a rare 13th century Koran owned by his family. He puts Selim into contact with the local mafia, who promptly kidnap him and request the Koran as ransom from Selim's father, Veli Hoca. Hoca pays the ransom but when the dust from the shady affair has settled both Selim and the gangsters lie dead. Now Ahmet would like to make amends for his involvement in the crime. He tries to track down Selim's family but learns that Mr. Hoca is dead. Ahmet is racked by remorse but he can't find a way of exorcising his ghosts. He tries Selim's uncle, Humdallah...


Dervis Zaim
Born in Famagusta, Cyprus in 1964, Dervis Zaim graduated from Warwick University in England and studied film production in London. In 1995, his first novel, Ares in Wonderland, won the prestigious Yunus Nadi literary prize in Turkey. A year later he made an auspicious debut as a director with SOMERSAULT IN A COFFIN. Among his other films: ELEPHANTS AND GRASS (2000), MUD (2003), WAITING FOR HEAVEN (2006).