Rank/ Film / (release) / Tickets
1 Recep İvedik (2008) 4,301,641
2 Kurtlar Vadisi-Irak (2006) 4,256,567
3 G.O.R.A (2004) 4,001,071
4 Babam ve Oğlum (2005) 3,837,876
5 A.R.O.G (2008) 3,457,966
6 Vizontele (2001) 3,308,120
7 Vizontele Tuba (2004) 2,894,802
8 Titanik (1998) 2,844,022
9 Hababam Sınıfı Askerde (2005) 2,586,132
10 Eşkiya (1996) 2,571,133
11 Organize İşler (2005) 2,558,069
12 Kahpe Bizans (2000) 2,472,162
13 Muro (2008) 2,165,199
14 Hababam Sınıfı 3.5 (2006) 2,068,165
15 Beyaz Melek (2007) 2,030,444
16 Issız Adam (2008) 2,012,780
17 Kabadayı (2007) 2,002,005
18 Asmalı Konak (2003) 1,791,396
19 Yüzüklerin Efendisi: Yüzük Kardeşliği (2001) 1,759,705
20 Truva (2004) 1,692,458
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Turkish Provinces with no Movie Theaters
Turkish Provinces with no Movie Theaters: Gümüşhane, Bayburt, Ağrı, Iğdır, Ardahan, Muş, Mardin Kilis, Şırnak and Siirt.
Turkey has 1575 screens mainly in major cities like Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. 70% of the screens are operated by independant owners (mostly 1-2 screens) and 6 national chains operate the other 30%.
2008 Turkish Box office
Top 10 Box office (all Turkish films)
RANK/NAME/Ticket Sales
1 RECEP İVEDİK 4,301,641
2 A.R.O.G: BİR YONTMATAŞ FİLMİ* 3,457,966
3 MURO* 2,165,199
4 ISSIZ ADAM* 2,012,780
5 OSMANLI CUMHURİYETİ* 1,401,420
6 MUSTAFA 1,098,687
7 120 1,033,917
8 MASKELI BEŞLER: KIBRIS 95,141 960,979
9 ÇILGIN DERSANE KAMPTA 6,314,199 899,314
10 O… ÇOCUKLARI 713,546
[*] in current release Friday, December 19, 2008
in 2007 only 5 films in top 10 were Turkish productions.
Total films released in 2008: 256
Toal Turkish Films released in 2008 : 50 (19.53 %) [1]
Total tickets: toplam 38.465.046
Total Tickets sold for Turkish films: 23.074.291 (59.99 %) [2]
Total Box Office: 301.652.746 TL
Average Ticket Price: 7.84 TL [3]
Highest Box Office: Week 49
Best box office month : December 2008
[1] Not including the Turkish films released in 2007 that was still in release in 2008.
[2] Including ticket sales for the Turkish films released in 2007 that was still in release in 2008.
[3] January 1, 2008 parity with US$
TRY Turkey Lira 1.170 Units per USD
December 31, 2008 parity with US$
TRY Turkey Lira 1.540 Units per USD
Source:Haftalık Antrakt Sinema Gazetesi
Based on year-end Türkiye's Weekend Market Datas" chart by the Weekly Antrakt Cinema Newspaper
RANK/NAME/Ticket Sales
1 RECEP İVEDİK 4,301,641
2 A.R.O.G: BİR YONTMATAŞ FİLMİ* 3,457,966
3 MURO* 2,165,199
4 ISSIZ ADAM* 2,012,780
5 OSMANLI CUMHURİYETİ* 1,401,420
6 MUSTAFA 1,098,687
7 120 1,033,917
8 MASKELI BEŞLER: KIBRIS 95,141 960,979
9 ÇILGIN DERSANE KAMPTA 6,314,199 899,314
10 O… ÇOCUKLARI 713,546
[*] in current release Friday, December 19, 2008
in 2007 only 5 films in top 10 were Turkish productions.
Total films released in 2008: 256
Toal Turkish Films released in 2008 : 50 (19.53 %) [1]
Total tickets: toplam 38.465.046
Total Tickets sold for Turkish films: 23.074.291 (59.99 %) [2]
Total Box Office: 301.652.746 TL
Average Ticket Price: 7.84 TL [3]
Highest Box Office: Week 49
Best box office month : December 2008
[1] Not including the Turkish films released in 2007 that was still in release in 2008.
[2] Including ticket sales for the Turkish films released in 2007 that was still in release in 2008.
[3] January 1, 2008 parity with US$
TRY Turkey Lira 1.170 Units per USD
December 31, 2008 parity with US$
TRY Turkey Lira 1.540 Units per USD
Source:Haftalık Antrakt Sinema Gazetesi
Based on year-end Türkiye's Weekend Market Datas" chart by the Weekly Antrakt Cinema Newspaper
Sunday, April 19, 2009
IIFF 2009 | Men on the Bridge
MEN ON THE BRIDGE | KÖPRÜDEKİLER
Director: Aslı Özge
Cast: Fikret Portakal, Murat Tokgöz, Umut İlker
Germany-Turkey, 2009 | 35 mm / Colour / 90' | Turkish; English s.t.
ProductionFabian Massah for Endorphine Production GmbH
The illegal rose-seller Fikret, the shared-taxi driver Umut, and the traffic policeman Murat live in the suburbs of Istanbul and come to work to the centre of the city, the Bosphorus Bridge. Unknown to each other, their dreams intersect in the rush hour every day with millions of other Istanbulites on the so-called border between Asia and Europe. The film's stories are based on the real lives of the main characters, who act themselves in their original environments. Telling the stories of Berliners in her first fiction feature A Little Bit of April (2003), Aslı Özge this time tells about the dreams and aspirations of the young generation in Istanbul.
Filmography
Köprüdekiler (2009)
... aka Igne deligi (Turkey: Turkish title)
... aka Men on the Bridge (International: English title)
Ein bisschen April | A Little Bit of April | Biraz Nisan (2003) (TV) 99 min.
Cast: Thomas Gerber, Dagmar Gabler, Christian Wewerka, Anja Ressmer
Berlin in April. Luka spends his days looking for the house he has seen in his dreams since he was a child. At night he secretly returns to these houses to see if he can sleep there without having nightmares. One night he meets Vera with whom he once had an affair. His mysterious existence also attracts Tim, a failed writer who cannot accept that his glory days are over. And then there’s Cem who dreams of becoming a famous musician and the beautiful but naive Isa. For each of them, moving to a new house is an end in itself, but also a new beginning.
IIFF 2009 | The Awards
The Awards Ceremony and the Closing Gala of the 28th edition of the International İstanbul Film Festival was held on Saturday, April 19, at Lütfi Kırdar Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Lifetime Achievement Award of the Festival was presented to Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski. The other awards:
INTERNATIONAL GOLDEN TULIP COMPETITION
The International Jury of the 28th International Istanbul Film Festival presided over by director Goran Paskaljevic and composed of film critic Mike Goodridge, Managing Director of Holland Film, President of the European Film Promotion and member of the selection committee for the Competition Programme of the Berlin International Film Festival Claudia Landsberger, director Cristian Mungiu and director Ümit Ünal has decided to give the:
Golden Tulip to TONY MANERO directed by Pablo Larraín, which the jury felt was a highly original portrait of life under an oppressive political regime, and which is shocking, funn7px;y and moving.
Special Jury Prize to A FILM WITH ME IN IT directed by Ian Fitzgibbon, which the jury thought was that rare comedy which keeps you laughing from beginning to end with its unusual story and dark, dark humour.
NATIONAL COMPETITION
The National Jury of the 28th International Istanbul Film Festival presided over by director Kutluğ Ataman, and composed of consultant editor of the TimeOut Film Guide Geoff Andrew, author Ayşe Kulin, producer Zeynep Özbatur, Sarajevo Film Festival Director Mirsad Purivatra and actress Bennu Yıldırımlar has decided to give:
the Golden Tulip Best Film Award to KÖPRÜDEKİLER / MEN ON THE BRIDGE directed by Aslı Özge;
the Best Director Award to MAHMUT FAZIL COŞKUN for his film Uzak İhtimal / Wrong Rosary.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey gave a monetary prize of 50,000 TL to each of the above-mentioned winners.
the Best Actress Award to DERYA ALABORA for her performance in Pandora'nın Kutusu / Pandora's Box;
the Best Actor Award to NADİR SARIBACAK for his performance in Uzak İhtimal / Wrong Rosary.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey gave a monetary prize of 10,000 TL to each of the above-mentioned winners.
the Best Screenplay Award to TARIK TUFAN, GÖRKEM YELTAN, BEKTAŞ TOPALOĞLU for their screenplay for Uzak İhtimal / Wrong Rosary;
the Best Director of Photography Award to ÖZGÜR EKEN for his work in Süt / Milk;
the Best Music Award to NAİL YURTSEVER for his work for Ali'nin Sekiz Günü / Ali's Eight Days;
the Special Prize of the Jury to 11'E 10 KALA / 10 TO 11 by Pelin Esmer.
INTERNATIONAL GOLDEN TULIP COMPETITION
The International Jury of the 28th International Istanbul Film Festival presided over by director Goran Paskaljevic and composed of film critic Mike Goodridge, Managing Director of Holland Film, President of the European Film Promotion and member of the selection committee for the Competition Programme of the Berlin International Film Festival Claudia Landsberger, director Cristian Mungiu and director Ümit Ünal has decided to give the:
Golden Tulip to TONY MANERO directed by Pablo Larraín, which the jury felt was a highly original portrait of life under an oppressive political regime, and which is shocking, funn7px;y and moving.
Special Jury Prize to A FILM WITH ME IN IT directed by Ian Fitzgibbon, which the jury thought was that rare comedy which keeps you laughing from beginning to end with its unusual story and dark, dark humour.
NATIONAL COMPETITION
The National Jury of the 28th International Istanbul Film Festival presided over by director Kutluğ Ataman, and composed of consultant editor of the TimeOut Film Guide Geoff Andrew, author Ayşe Kulin, producer Zeynep Özbatur, Sarajevo Film Festival Director Mirsad Purivatra and actress Bennu Yıldırımlar has decided to give:
the Golden Tulip Best Film Award to KÖPRÜDEKİLER / MEN ON THE BRIDGE directed by Aslı Özge;
the Best Director Award to MAHMUT FAZIL COŞKUN for his film Uzak İhtimal / Wrong Rosary.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey gave a monetary prize of 50,000 TL to each of the above-mentioned winners.
the Best Actress Award to DERYA ALABORA for her performance in Pandora'nın Kutusu / Pandora's Box;
the Best Actor Award to NADİR SARIBACAK for his performance in Uzak İhtimal / Wrong Rosary.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey gave a monetary prize of 10,000 TL to each of the above-mentioned winners.
the Best Screenplay Award to TARIK TUFAN, GÖRKEM YELTAN, BEKTAŞ TOPALOĞLU for their screenplay for Uzak İhtimal / Wrong Rosary;
the Best Director of Photography Award to ÖZGÜR EKEN for his work in Süt / Milk;
the Best Music Award to NAİL YURTSEVER for his work for Ali'nin Sekiz Günü / Ali's Eight Days;
the Special Prize of the Jury to 11'E 10 KALA / 10 TO 11 by Pelin Esmer.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
IIFF 2009 |RED BRIDGE
RED BRIDGE | PIRDESUR (KIRMIZIKÖPRÜ)
Director: Caner Canerik
Cast: Ali Şanlı, Cevahir Şanlı, Metin Güler
Turkey, 2008 | miniDV / Colour / 90' | Turkish-Kurkish; English s.t.
The latest film from director Caner Canerik, who has switched to documentaries after a career in news reporting chronicles his observations from the Kırmızıköprü Village (Pırdesur in Kurdish) in Pülümür town in the east of Turkey where he was born, and his return years after he has left for college. Especially after 1990, internal migration caused big tragedies in the east and south east regions of Turkey. Three million people, according to unofficial statistics, left their homes and savings and migrated to cities they hardly knew. Kırmızıköprü now only has a population of 30 following emigration from the village, and the stories of these people who did not migrate, who continued to live there reflect the cultural and social transformation, life and struggle in the village.
IIFF 2009 | THE VOYAGE OF NÂZIM HİKMET TO CUBA
THE VOYAGE OF NÂZIM HİKMET TO CUBA
NÂZIM'IN KÜBA SEYAHATİ
Directors: Çağrı Kınıkoğlu & Gloria Rolando
Turkey-Cuba, 2008 | HD / Colour / 68' | Turkish-Spanish; English s.t.
The great poet of equality, freedom, and the Turkish language, Nâzım Hikmet had visited Cuba in 1961, on the invitation of his friend, the Cuban poet Nicolas Guillen. A member of the World Peace Council then, Nâzım went to Cuba in May 1961 for solidarity and also to observe the enthusiasm and the progress of the 1959 Cuban Revolution. Through the testimonies of Cuban intellectuals whom Nâzım had met in this joyous voyage, and through other documents and archive materials, such as the recording of Nâzım's poem the "Havana Interview", the film discovers how the Cuban Revolution influenced Nâzım and how Nâzım influenced the Cuban intellectuals. This is a story of compatriot brotherhood and hope.
Monday, March 30, 2009
MY CRETAN LEMON TREE by Tahsin İşbilen
Benim Giritli limon ağacım
Seni nerelere dikeyim
Dikeyim, dikeyim
Seni kalbime dikeyim
Seni nerelere dikeyim
Dikeyim, dikeyim
Seni kalbime dikeyim
MY CRETAN LEMON TREE
Official Web Site
WATCH ONLINE
Türkei 2007 | 56 Min Camera: Tahsin Isbilen Director: Tahsin Isbilen Editor: Tahsin Isbilen, Ebru AK Producer: Isin Turgut Score: Musfik Turgut Screenplay: Serkan Cabi
The story is about two immigrant women; Yurdanur and Malvina. Malvina's parents exchanged from Alacati, Izmir and settled on land of exchanged Turks in Heraklion-Crete. And Yurdanur's parents exchanged from Heraklion- Crete and settled on land of exchanged Greek in Izmir. Yurdanur is in her 60's and she belongs to the second generation of a Cretan exchanged family. In all spheres of her life there lies the evidence of a Cretan culture. For instance, she mainly cooks Cretan dishes. If she is in a happy mood, she still sings Cretan songs in Greek.And she attends to the club of Cretans. They are talking about their native land in Cretan which is not visited so far. Malvina is same ages and her family was exchanged from Izmir (Smyrna)-Alacati. She has grown up with the stories about the Asia Minor. She does not know Turkish, and has been in Izmir for several times. They have established The Heraklion Alacati Association in 1982. She also attends to a club where she sings her ancestry land's songs. The construction of the film is formed by these two characters and the stories are told by the songs belonging to the other side. The main concern, traced in the second, third and forth generations is the appreciation of the current situation.The relationships between the forth generation and their parents are the tense points in the film. Though being in Crete seems unimportant for the children, in fact they live under the dominance of Cretan culture in certain aspects.
[In Greek and Turkish, with Greek and Turkish subtitles]
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Sonbahar at New Directors/New Films 2009
Autumn / Sonbahar
Series: New Directors/New Films 2009
Director: Özcan Alper, Country: Germany/Turkey, Release: 2008, Runtime: 99
This stunning elegy to lost youth and lost ideals follows Yusuf, just released from prison and headed to the majestic mountains of the eastern Black Sea region where he grew up. Without any friends or community left from his politically involved youth spent in the big city, he moves back into his mother’s small shack on the mountainside and tries to reconnect to the landscape of his childhood.
Sick and dispirited yet eager to believe in the possibilities of the future, he forges a tentative bond with a young local boy and an emotionally powerful connection with another outsider, a Georgian prostitute whose life is also waylaid by the shattered dreams of Socialist utopia. Özcan Alper’s debut is a powerfully realized inner journey that evinces an especially profound talent for the lyrical use of landscape to express belief in the human spirit.
Series: New Directors/New Films 2009
Director: Özcan Alper, Country: Germany/Turkey, Release: 2008, Runtime: 99
This stunning elegy to lost youth and lost ideals follows Yusuf, just released from prison and headed to the majestic mountains of the eastern Black Sea region where he grew up. Without any friends or community left from his politically involved youth spent in the big city, he moves back into his mother’s small shack on the mountainside and tries to reconnect to the landscape of his childhood.
Sick and dispirited yet eager to believe in the possibilities of the future, he forges a tentative bond with a young local boy and an emotionally powerful connection with another outsider, a Georgian prostitute whose life is also waylaid by the shattered dreams of Socialist utopia. Özcan Alper’s debut is a powerfully realized inner journey that evinces an especially profound talent for the lyrical use of landscape to express belief in the human spirit.
Alper's Sonbahar at New Directors/New Films program
Film Festival: The City as Bane, Nature as Balm By A. O. SCOTT
Published: March 26, 2009
As usual the New Directors/New Films program, a joint presentation of the Museum of Modern Art and the Film Society of Lincoln Center that runs through April 5, is a hotbed of stories: a few of them predictable, some of them elusive, many of them sad. But what might resonate longest in the mind, sampling this international gathering of first and second features, are not narratives but landscapes.
The plot of Ozcan Alper’s “Autumn,” [1] for example, might be described as a shard of Chekhov translated into Turkish. A former student radical, after serving time as a political prisoner, returns home to his village on the Black Sea coast of northern Turkey. In the nearby town he develops a wary, stricken infatuation with a prostitute from across the border in Georgia, who seems to return his interest with equal wariness. But their romance, if you can call it that, is framed, indeed overwhelmed, by the dour grandeur of the forested mountains, the crashing of the surf and the silence of the snow.
It’s not that the sublimity of the scenery distracts from the psychology of the characters, exactly. But the use of the natural world to bring a sense of unspoken meaning to their actions is the most interesting aspect of “Autumn.” The film’s themes of regret, spent passion and misdirected desire show the influence of Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Turkey’s ambassador to the international festival circuit, but its creative energy resides in the way it captures nature.
[1]
Directed by: Ozcan Alpher
Cast: Nini Levaja, Serkan Keskin, Gulefer Yenigul
Rate It
[Poor] [Satisfactory] [Good] [Very Good] [Extraordinary]
Review Summary
When he was a student in Instanbul in the 1990s, Yusuf was sent to prison for political activism in the fight for democracy. Ten years later, he is released on the grounds of ill health and goes straight to his village, in the remote heights above the Black Sea, where the only person he finds is his sick mother. His father died during his imprisonment, and his eldest sister married and moved away. Apart from his childhood friend Mikhail, Yusuf is the only young man in the village. Economic problems have driven all the others into urban areas. One evening the two friends go to a bar in the nearest town and meet a Georgian prostitute, Eka, with whom Yusuf falls in love. The young man clings to this woman as his only hope. But for Eka, Yusuf is more like a character in one of the Russian novels she likes to read, a man from another world and another era. Ultimately, their relationship proves to be impossible.
Movie Details
Title: Autumn
Running Time: 101 Minutes
Status: Released
Country: Germany, Turkey
Genre: Drama, Foreign
Published: March 26, 2009
As usual the New Directors/New Films program, a joint presentation of the Museum of Modern Art and the Film Society of Lincoln Center that runs through April 5, is a hotbed of stories: a few of them predictable, some of them elusive, many of them sad. But what might resonate longest in the mind, sampling this international gathering of first and second features, are not narratives but landscapes.
The plot of Ozcan Alper’s “Autumn,” [1] for example, might be described as a shard of Chekhov translated into Turkish. A former student radical, after serving time as a political prisoner, returns home to his village on the Black Sea coast of northern Turkey. In the nearby town he develops a wary, stricken infatuation with a prostitute from across the border in Georgia, who seems to return his interest with equal wariness. But their romance, if you can call it that, is framed, indeed overwhelmed, by the dour grandeur of the forested mountains, the crashing of the surf and the silence of the snow.
It’s not that the sublimity of the scenery distracts from the psychology of the characters, exactly. But the use of the natural world to bring a sense of unspoken meaning to their actions is the most interesting aspect of “Autumn.” The film’s themes of regret, spent passion and misdirected desire show the influence of Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Turkey’s ambassador to the international festival circuit, but its creative energy resides in the way it captures nature.
[1]
Directed by: Ozcan Alpher
Cast: Nini Levaja, Serkan Keskin, Gulefer Yenigul
Rate It
[Poor] [Satisfactory] [Good] [Very Good] [Extraordinary]
Review Summary
When he was a student in Instanbul in the 1990s, Yusuf was sent to prison for political activism in the fight for democracy. Ten years later, he is released on the grounds of ill health and goes straight to his village, in the remote heights above the Black Sea, where the only person he finds is his sick mother. His father died during his imprisonment, and his eldest sister married and moved away. Apart from his childhood friend Mikhail, Yusuf is the only young man in the village. Economic problems have driven all the others into urban areas. One evening the two friends go to a bar in the nearest town and meet a Georgian prostitute, Eka, with whom Yusuf falls in love. The young man clings to this woman as his only hope. But for Eka, Yusuf is more like a character in one of the Russian novels she likes to read, a man from another world and another era. Ultimately, their relationship proves to be impossible.
Movie Details
Title: Autumn
Running Time: 101 Minutes
Status: Released
Country: Germany, Turkey
Genre: Drama, Foreign
Friday, March 20, 2009
7th Annual Turkish Film Week in Berlin
7th Annual Turkish Film Week in Berlin | 7. Türkischen Filmwoche BerlinSONBAHAR - HERBST
PAZAR - DER MARKT
NOKTA - DER PUNKT
ARA - DAZWISCHEN
HAVAR - HILFESCHREI
DEVRİM ARABALARI - DIE WAGEN DER REVOLUTION
GİTMEK - MY MARLON & BRANDO
SICAK - WARM
ÜÇ MAYMUN - DREI AFFEN
HAYAT VAR - ES GIBT EIN LEBEN
BUNU GERÇEKTEN YAPMALI MIYIM? –SOLL ICH ES WIRKLICH MACHEN?
ISSIZ ADAM - EINSAM
YAŞAM ARSIZI - LEBENSSÜCHTIG
EVET, ICH WILL!
(March 26-April 4, 2009, various cinemas, Berlin)
A wide range of the latest feature films and documentaries from Turkey will be screened at the 7th Turkish Film Week in Berlin. The programme will showcase current trends, themes and developments shaping Turkey's film landscape. For more information, please visit www.tuerkischefilmwoche-berlin.de.
''Sonbahar'', ''Pazar'', Gitmek - My Marlon ve Brando'', ''Issız Adam'', ''Üç Maymun'', ''Havar'', ''Dilber'in sekiz günü'', ''Nokta'', ''Ara'', ''Devrim Arabaları'', ''Sıcak'', ''Hayat var'', ''Yaşam Arsızı'' ve ''Evet, ich will''.
During the week MEDIA Antenne and Medienboard are organizing a get-together for producers from Germany and Turkey to commemorate the 20-year city partnership between Berlin and Istanbul and to mark the launch of the 7th Turkish Film Week in Berlin. By invitation only. For more information, please visit www.medienboard.de.
German-Turkish Delight: The First German-Turkish Coproduction Meeting
(March 25-26, 2009, Brandenburg State Representative Building, Berlin)
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Three Monkeys in US
Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan's new film THREE MONKEYS won the Best Director prize at Cannes and has preview dates at the University of Richmond 3/20-3/22 in advance of its openings in LA (3/27) and NYC (5/1).
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
2009 Yesilcam Awards
Yeşilçam Awards for the year 2009 have been given in İstanbul with a ceremony. The award ceremony was organized in collaboration with the Beyoğlu Municipality and the Turkish Foundation of Cinema and Audiovisual Culture. The Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertuğrul Günay, veteran artists including İzzet Günay, Perihan Savaş, Hülya Koçyiğit, Nebahat Çehre and Selda Alkor as well as many people from the business and media circles attended the ceremony.
"Although it is a very new tradition, the Yeşilçam Awards garner great interest. I dream that this tradition will turn into an international one," said Günay at the opening of the ceremony. He said Istanbul and Turkey were very suitable locations for this dream. "The winners are determined by a large jury. The recent developments in Turkish cinema offer hope for the industry’s future. It now has a respected place in world cinema."
This year’s Yeşilçam Award winners were determined by a 1,500-person jury, which included names from business, culture and media circles.
Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s “Three Monkeys” has put its stamp on the award ceremony which was held Tuesday evening. “Three Monkeys” has been awarded in “Best Film”, “Best Director”, and “Best Story” categories. Hatice Arslan got the “Best Actress” prize with her performance in “Three Monkeys.” Onur Saylak received “Best Actor” prize with his role in the film titled “Autumn.”
Best Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Best Male Actor: Onur Saylak / Sonbahar
Best Female Actor: Hatice Aslan / Üç Maymun
Best Supporting Male Actor: Altan Erkekli / O... Çocukları
Best Supporting Female Actor: Yıldız Kültür / Issız Adam
Turkcell First Film Award: Özcan Alper / Sonbahar
Best Screenplay: Ebru Ceylan, Nuri Bilge Ceylan ve Ercan Kesal / Üç Maymun
Best Film Music: Aria Müzik / Issız Adam
Besy Cinematography: Gökhan Tiryaki / Üç Maymun
Digiturk Young Talent Award: Ahmet Rıfat Şungar / Üç Maymun
Best Film: Üç Maymun / Nuri Bilge Ceylan
"Although it is a very new tradition, the Yeşilçam Awards garner great interest. I dream that this tradition will turn into an international one," said Günay at the opening of the ceremony. He said Istanbul and Turkey were very suitable locations for this dream. "The winners are determined by a large jury. The recent developments in Turkish cinema offer hope for the industry’s future. It now has a respected place in world cinema."
This year’s Yeşilçam Award winners were determined by a 1,500-person jury, which included names from business, culture and media circles.
Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s “Three Monkeys” has put its stamp on the award ceremony which was held Tuesday evening. “Three Monkeys” has been awarded in “Best Film”, “Best Director”, and “Best Story” categories. Hatice Arslan got the “Best Actress” prize with her performance in “Three Monkeys.” Onur Saylak received “Best Actor” prize with his role in the film titled “Autumn.”
Best Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Best Male Actor: Onur Saylak / Sonbahar
Best Female Actor: Hatice Aslan / Üç Maymun
Best Supporting Male Actor: Altan Erkekli / O... Çocukları
Best Supporting Female Actor: Yıldız Kültür / Issız Adam
Turkcell First Film Award: Özcan Alper / Sonbahar
Best Screenplay: Ebru Ceylan, Nuri Bilge Ceylan ve Ercan Kesal / Üç Maymun
Best Film Music: Aria Müzik / Issız Adam
Besy Cinematography: Gökhan Tiryaki / Üç Maymun
Digiturk Young Talent Award: Ahmet Rıfat Şungar / Üç Maymun
Best Film: Üç Maymun / Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
41. SİYAD - TÜRK SİNEMASI ÖDÜLLERİ
41. SİYAD - TÜRK SİNEMASI ÖDÜLLERİ
23.02.2009
EN İYİ FİLM: Sonbahar (Yapımcı: F. Serkan ACAR)
EN İYİ YÖNETİM: Nuri Bilge CEYLAN (Üç Maymun)
CAHİDE SONKU EN İYİ KADIN OYUNCU PERFORMANSI: Hatice ASLAN (Üç Maymun)
EN İYİ ERKEK OYUNCU PERFORMANSI: Onur SAYLAK (Sonbahar)
EN İYİ YARDIMCI KADIN OYUNCU PERFORMANSI: Tülin ÖZEN (Vicdan)
EN İYİ YARDIMCI ERKEK OYUNCU PERFORMANSI: Ahmet Rıfat ŞUNGAR (Üç Maymun)
MAHMUT TALİ ÖNGÖREN EN İYİ SENARYO: Özcan ALPER (Sonbahar)
EN İYİ GÖRÜNTÜ YÖNETİMİ: Feza ÇALDIRAN (Sonbahar)
EN İYİ MÜZİK: Demir DEMİRKAN (Devrim Arabaları)
EN İYİ KURGU: Ayhan ERGÜRSEL, Bora GÖKŞİNGÖL, Nuri Bilge CEYLAN (Üç Maymun)
EN İYİ SANAT YÖNETİMİ: Natali YERES (Rıza)
UMUT VEREN SANATÇI: İnan TEMELKURAN
EN İYİ BELGESEL: Devrimci Gençlik Köprüsü (Yönetmen: Bahriye KABADAYI)
EN İYİ KISA FİLM: Unus Mundus (Yönetmen: Senem TÜZEN)
EN İYİ YABANCI FİLM: Kan Dökülecek (There Will Be Blood)
SİYAD ONUR ÖDÜLÜ: Şener ŞEN
SİYAD TUNCAN OKAN EMEK ÖDÜLÜ: Nijat ÖZÖN
SİYAD - ÖZEL ÖDÜL: Klaus EDER
23.02.2009
EN İYİ FİLM: Sonbahar (Yapımcı: F. Serkan ACAR)
EN İYİ YÖNETİM: Nuri Bilge CEYLAN (Üç Maymun)
CAHİDE SONKU EN İYİ KADIN OYUNCU PERFORMANSI: Hatice ASLAN (Üç Maymun)
EN İYİ ERKEK OYUNCU PERFORMANSI: Onur SAYLAK (Sonbahar)
EN İYİ YARDIMCI KADIN OYUNCU PERFORMANSI: Tülin ÖZEN (Vicdan)
EN İYİ YARDIMCI ERKEK OYUNCU PERFORMANSI: Ahmet Rıfat ŞUNGAR (Üç Maymun)
MAHMUT TALİ ÖNGÖREN EN İYİ SENARYO: Özcan ALPER (Sonbahar)
EN İYİ GÖRÜNTÜ YÖNETİMİ: Feza ÇALDIRAN (Sonbahar)
EN İYİ MÜZİK: Demir DEMİRKAN (Devrim Arabaları)
EN İYİ KURGU: Ayhan ERGÜRSEL, Bora GÖKŞİNGÖL, Nuri Bilge CEYLAN (Üç Maymun)
EN İYİ SANAT YÖNETİMİ: Natali YERES (Rıza)
UMUT VEREN SANATÇI: İnan TEMELKURAN
EN İYİ BELGESEL: Devrimci Gençlik Köprüsü (Yönetmen: Bahriye KABADAYI)
EN İYİ KISA FİLM: Unus Mundus (Yönetmen: Senem TÜZEN)
EN İYİ YABANCI FİLM: Kan Dökülecek (There Will Be Blood)
SİYAD ONUR ÖDÜLÜ: Şener ŞEN
SİYAD TUNCAN OKAN EMEK ÖDÜLÜ: Nijat ÖZÖN
SİYAD - ÖZEL ÖDÜL: Klaus EDER
Alper and Ceylan lead SİYAD awards
Alper and Ceylan lead SİYAD awards
Two much talked about Turkish films of last year, one by newcomer Özcan Alper and another by auteur Nuri Bilge Ceylan, grabbed four awards each at Sunday’s annual Turkish Film Critics Association (SİYAD) Awards.
Alper’s “Sonbahar” (Autumn) won the best picture honor in the 41st SİYAD Awards, handed out Sunday evening at a gala ceremony at the Cemal Reşit Rey (CRR) Concert Hall in İstanbul’s Harbiye.
Writer-director Alper also won the best screenplay award for “Sonbahar,” which brought the best actor award to its leading actor, Onur Saylak, for his role as a political prisoner who returns to his hometown in the Black Sea region after being released on medical grounds 10 years after imprisonment. The film also earned the best cinematography award for Feza Çaldıran.
The four honors Ceylan’s internationally recognized “Üç Maymun” (Three Monkeys) collected at the SİYAD gala Sunday night included yet another best director prize -- after the Cannes film festival nod in 2008 -- for Ceylan and the best editing prize. Its leading actress, Hatice Aslan, earned the best actress award for her performance as the deceitful wife of the title character who goes to prison to cover for his boss, and Ahmet Rıfat Şungar won the best supporting actor prize for his portrayal of the couple’s son.
Among other SİYAD honors, handed out in 13 categories in total, the best supporting actress award went to Tülin Özen for her role in “Vicdan” (Conscience), directed by Erden Kıral; the best music award went to rocker Demir Demirkan for his soundtrack for documentary filmmaker Tolga Örnek’s debut fictional feature “Devrim Arabaları” (Devrim Automobiles); and the 2007 drama “There Will Be Blood” by Paul Thomas Anderson was named best foreign film.
24 February 2009, Tuesday
TODAY’S ZAMAN İSTANBUL
Two much talked about Turkish films of last year, one by newcomer Özcan Alper and another by auteur Nuri Bilge Ceylan, grabbed four awards each at Sunday’s annual Turkish Film Critics Association (SİYAD) Awards.
Alper’s “Sonbahar” (Autumn) won the best picture honor in the 41st SİYAD Awards, handed out Sunday evening at a gala ceremony at the Cemal Reşit Rey (CRR) Concert Hall in İstanbul’s Harbiye.
Writer-director Alper also won the best screenplay award for “Sonbahar,” which brought the best actor award to its leading actor, Onur Saylak, for his role as a political prisoner who returns to his hometown in the Black Sea region after being released on medical grounds 10 years after imprisonment. The film also earned the best cinematography award for Feza Çaldıran.
The four honors Ceylan’s internationally recognized “Üç Maymun” (Three Monkeys) collected at the SİYAD gala Sunday night included yet another best director prize -- after the Cannes film festival nod in 2008 -- for Ceylan and the best editing prize. Its leading actress, Hatice Aslan, earned the best actress award for her performance as the deceitful wife of the title character who goes to prison to cover for his boss, and Ahmet Rıfat Şungar won the best supporting actor prize for his portrayal of the couple’s son.
Among other SİYAD honors, handed out in 13 categories in total, the best supporting actress award went to Tülin Özen for her role in “Vicdan” (Conscience), directed by Erden Kıral; the best music award went to rocker Demir Demirkan for his soundtrack for documentary filmmaker Tolga Örnek’s debut fictional feature “Devrim Arabaları” (Devrim Automobiles); and the 2007 drama “There Will Be Blood” by Paul Thomas Anderson was named best foreign film.
24 February 2009, Tuesday
TODAY’S ZAMAN İSTANBUL
Will Yeşilçam apologize to Muslims?
Ekrem Dumanli / Todays Zaman
Will Yeşilçam apologize to Muslims?
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
In my previous article I had asked, "Will Hollywood apologize to Muslims?" and I expressed my views about cinema, beliefs, biases and stereotypes by drawing examples from Hollywood productions.
Actually, we don't have to go so far in order to ask this question. Who can say that the Muslim stereotyping in our own cinema industry is so true to reality that we should expect the cinema sectors in other countries to follow suit?
Before going any further, I would like to clarify what I mean by bias or stereotype: If the same cliché is insistently used to refer to the same group, then it certainly means that there is bias toward that group. This applies to every group or people, and it is a clear sign of discrimination and hate. If one group is always depicted with the same characterization of its members and these characters are always evil and if, as part of the same strategy, some people are always shown as good, then it is obvious that there is bias or some preconception at work. This is because no group can be collectively "good" or "evil."
The Turkish cinema sector has long pursued negative attitudes against religion and devout people and attempted to develop a negative stereotype of them. Until recently, almost all portrayals of clerical officials, kadıs (religious judges), hodcas and pilgrims have been negative. People who seem to be devout in appearance have been portrayed as secretly malicious. Is there no exception to these stereotypes? No, unfortunately. Moreover, this unrelenting attempt to create such stereotypes has never let up.
It is wrong to suggest that this can be explained by negative attitudes against religion on the part of scriptwriters or producers. Indeed, this attempt has been aggravated, in part, by official policies. The "fanatical cleric" stereotype is a recurring theme in all fictional works (novels, short stories, plays) published since the early years of the republic. Such characterizations of devout people (or other pandemic preconceptions about other groups) cannot be correctly diagnosed unless they are viewed from a political vantage point. It is for this reason that we can find various forms of this stereotype, from the single-party regime to the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) era.
The negative portrayal of clerics and devout people that started after the establishment of the republic continued for some time and the nation perceived this portrayal as a "hatred of religion." There may be factors that justify this perception, but the point here is not about believing in or denying a certain religion. A new regime was established and, like every new regime, the Republic of Turkey thought that the previous era had to be defaced. Therefore, all values that belonged to the previous era were to be portrayed as evil while the values of the new regime were to be glorified. All people that represented the old regime were characterized in films as traitors, collaborators and liars. On the other hand, those who symbolized the new regime were promoted as idealistic, hardworking and self-sacrificing. The old regime was represented by fanatical religious people or superficial clerics, while the new regime was represented by teachers, physicians and engineers.
Ultimately it was religion and science that were pitted against each other. In an atmosphere where nothing is expressed openly, the row was going on between tradition and modernism. In the picture portrayed for the spectators were those who represented the return of the old regime (reactionary people) and those who fed on positivism but, at the same time, tried to cling to the nation through national values (progressive people). Later, the names and forms of these symbols changed, but the characterization remained the same. Advocates of innovation were always "progressive and intellectual" types, while proponents of tradition were always "reactionary and fanatical."
It seems that our cinema sector and democratic quest have made parallel progress. As the freedom of expression and belief has expanded, these characterizations were modified. Now let us look at the following main developments briefly and try to make sense of them according to eras: the single-party era, the introduction of the multiparty regime, the years of military coups, the rise of left-wing movements, the rise of nationalist movements and the rise of conservative movements. Now let us treat these main developments briefly and try to make sense of them according to eras.
The era of stage actors and the building of a new regime
Some of the striking films produced between 1922 and 1939, known as the era of stage actors in the history of Turkish cinema, should be viewed as an effort to contribute the nation building process that was in the works then. The dominant personality of this era was, without a doubt, Muhsin Ertuğrul. "Ateşten Gömlek," a film adapted from Halide Edip Adıvar's novel of the same title, is regarded as one of the first successful films on the War of Independence. "Bir Millet Uyanıyor," directed by Ertuğrul in 1923, serves as the unforgettable model for the subsequent wave of films about the war. The common theme of these films was the enthusiasm of building a new state. Two films, both directed by Ertuğrul, should be noted in particular, as they created the clerical official prototypes for subsequent films: "Aynaros Kadısı" and "Bir Kavuk Devrildi."
Another recurrent theme in the era of stage actors is the Bektaşi sheikh, seen first in "Nur Baba" (1922). This sheik is a lustful, ambitious and devious type and the Bektaşi lodges are places where wild parties are held. After Bektaşis raided the film set and several incidents broke out, the producers started to act with caution in their portrayals of Alevis and Bektaşis. Later, open references to Bektaşis were removed from the films. Instead, only sheiks and their lodges tended to be discussed. Nevertheless, there were still references to the struggle between the old and the new.
"Aynaros Kadısı," which was originally written as a play by Musahipzade in 1927 but was adapted for the screen by Ertuğrul in 1938, is the most striking example of the stereotyping of clerics and religious people. The film intentionally revolves around a kadı because this allows the director to offer his biased portrayal of a cleric and, at the same, denigrate the Ottoman legal system. It should be clear that this judge is deceitful and lustful and takes bribes, amongst other things. Despite some harsh criticism, Yeşilçam never found the courage to develop new perspectives. Ertuğrul maintained the same characterizations in his subsequent films. In "Bir Kavuk Devrildi," for example, you can find the same characters and themes.
These prototypes, which were invented with the motive of lending ideological support to the newly founded state, are understandable in the context of their time. But today the film sector must realize the realities behind them and engage in some self-criticism. While the clerical officials -- and devout people -- heartily supported the War of Independence and while the first Parliament's respect for religion is well known, the Turkish filmmaking sector insistently opted to denigrate and humiliate religion and devout people, which had bad consequences. The constant portrayal of clerics as evil and disgusting characters has led to the alienation of the nation from cinema.
For some reason, clerics were portrayed as opponents of the national struggle. Clearly this does not correspond to historical realities. As a matter of fact, while there were some clerics who were against the national liberation movement, one cannot deny the support provided by the majority. Yet one can never find a positive portrayal of them in film. I do not want to do injustice to the filmmaking sector, as these negative stereotyping attempts are not limited to cinema. All fictional works suffer from this defect. "New" is represented by teachers, while "old" is symbolized by clerics. This applies both to novels and plays.
The unchanging cliché of the transition era: religion and religious people
The eruption of World War II had negative effects both on world cinema in general and the Turkish filmmaking sector in particular. At the end of this phase, known as the transition era, stage actors left the scene to directors. But the influence of stage actors was still visible in the films of this era. In 1948, the sector became financially supported by the state following a series of legal measures and this ushered in a diversification of the themes of the films. In 1949 the landmark film of negatively stereotyping clerics was produced: "Vurun Kahpeye." Directed by Lütfü Ö. Akad, "Vurun Kahpeye" pits the idealistic and enlightened teacher Aliye and the devious, devout cleric Hacı Fettah against each other. The most striking scene in the film is the lynching of Aliye by the "pro-sultan Hacı Fettah and the ignorant mob led by him." The film was adapted from Halide Edip Adıvar's novel of the same title. Her novel has been adapted to cinema three times and each time it has created major reactions. In its latest adaptation, Halif Refiğ adopted a delicate and cautious approach. Nevertheless, its damage in terms of stereotyping is great.
Interestingly, the Turkish cinema sector tends to portray the clerics as devious, ambitious, unreliable or lustful types while it refrains from making similar negative generalizations about other professions. Teachers are always respected, police officers are characterized as dignified people, soldiers are shown as symbols of national dignity and judges are portrayed as models of justice. Is it possible for any profession to include nothing but good people? Of course not. However, this is a consequence of the nation-building process. The fact that our stereotypes do not correspond to the stereotypes of world cinema is clear proof of the influence of political and social engineering projects on the Turkish cinema sector. In a later article, we will continue to discuss how internal dynamics have affected the cinema sector from the point of view of their perception of religion and devout people.
Will Yeşilçam apologize to Muslims?
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
In my previous article I had asked, "Will Hollywood apologize to Muslims?" and I expressed my views about cinema, beliefs, biases and stereotypes by drawing examples from Hollywood productions.
Actually, we don't have to go so far in order to ask this question. Who can say that the Muslim stereotyping in our own cinema industry is so true to reality that we should expect the cinema sectors in other countries to follow suit?
Before going any further, I would like to clarify what I mean by bias or stereotype: If the same cliché is insistently used to refer to the same group, then it certainly means that there is bias toward that group. This applies to every group or people, and it is a clear sign of discrimination and hate. If one group is always depicted with the same characterization of its members and these characters are always evil and if, as part of the same strategy, some people are always shown as good, then it is obvious that there is bias or some preconception at work. This is because no group can be collectively "good" or "evil."
The Turkish cinema sector has long pursued negative attitudes against religion and devout people and attempted to develop a negative stereotype of them. Until recently, almost all portrayals of clerical officials, kadıs (religious judges), hodcas and pilgrims have been negative. People who seem to be devout in appearance have been portrayed as secretly malicious. Is there no exception to these stereotypes? No, unfortunately. Moreover, this unrelenting attempt to create such stereotypes has never let up.
It is wrong to suggest that this can be explained by negative attitudes against religion on the part of scriptwriters or producers. Indeed, this attempt has been aggravated, in part, by official policies. The "fanatical cleric" stereotype is a recurring theme in all fictional works (novels, short stories, plays) published since the early years of the republic. Such characterizations of devout people (or other pandemic preconceptions about other groups) cannot be correctly diagnosed unless they are viewed from a political vantage point. It is for this reason that we can find various forms of this stereotype, from the single-party regime to the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) era.
The negative portrayal of clerics and devout people that started after the establishment of the republic continued for some time and the nation perceived this portrayal as a "hatred of religion." There may be factors that justify this perception, but the point here is not about believing in or denying a certain religion. A new regime was established and, like every new regime, the Republic of Turkey thought that the previous era had to be defaced. Therefore, all values that belonged to the previous era were to be portrayed as evil while the values of the new regime were to be glorified. All people that represented the old regime were characterized in films as traitors, collaborators and liars. On the other hand, those who symbolized the new regime were promoted as idealistic, hardworking and self-sacrificing. The old regime was represented by fanatical religious people or superficial clerics, while the new regime was represented by teachers, physicians and engineers.
Ultimately it was religion and science that were pitted against each other. In an atmosphere where nothing is expressed openly, the row was going on between tradition and modernism. In the picture portrayed for the spectators were those who represented the return of the old regime (reactionary people) and those who fed on positivism but, at the same time, tried to cling to the nation through national values (progressive people). Later, the names and forms of these symbols changed, but the characterization remained the same. Advocates of innovation were always "progressive and intellectual" types, while proponents of tradition were always "reactionary and fanatical."
It seems that our cinema sector and democratic quest have made parallel progress. As the freedom of expression and belief has expanded, these characterizations were modified. Now let us look at the following main developments briefly and try to make sense of them according to eras: the single-party era, the introduction of the multiparty regime, the years of military coups, the rise of left-wing movements, the rise of nationalist movements and the rise of conservative movements. Now let us treat these main developments briefly and try to make sense of them according to eras.
The era of stage actors and the building of a new regime
Some of the striking films produced between 1922 and 1939, known as the era of stage actors in the history of Turkish cinema, should be viewed as an effort to contribute the nation building process that was in the works then. The dominant personality of this era was, without a doubt, Muhsin Ertuğrul. "Ateşten Gömlek," a film adapted from Halide Edip Adıvar's novel of the same title, is regarded as one of the first successful films on the War of Independence. "Bir Millet Uyanıyor," directed by Ertuğrul in 1923, serves as the unforgettable model for the subsequent wave of films about the war. The common theme of these films was the enthusiasm of building a new state. Two films, both directed by Ertuğrul, should be noted in particular, as they created the clerical official prototypes for subsequent films: "Aynaros Kadısı" and "Bir Kavuk Devrildi."
Another recurrent theme in the era of stage actors is the Bektaşi sheikh, seen first in "Nur Baba" (1922). This sheik is a lustful, ambitious and devious type and the Bektaşi lodges are places where wild parties are held. After Bektaşis raided the film set and several incidents broke out, the producers started to act with caution in their portrayals of Alevis and Bektaşis. Later, open references to Bektaşis were removed from the films. Instead, only sheiks and their lodges tended to be discussed. Nevertheless, there were still references to the struggle between the old and the new.
"Aynaros Kadısı," which was originally written as a play by Musahipzade in 1927 but was adapted for the screen by Ertuğrul in 1938, is the most striking example of the stereotyping of clerics and religious people. The film intentionally revolves around a kadı because this allows the director to offer his biased portrayal of a cleric and, at the same, denigrate the Ottoman legal system. It should be clear that this judge is deceitful and lustful and takes bribes, amongst other things. Despite some harsh criticism, Yeşilçam never found the courage to develop new perspectives. Ertuğrul maintained the same characterizations in his subsequent films. In "Bir Kavuk Devrildi," for example, you can find the same characters and themes.
These prototypes, which were invented with the motive of lending ideological support to the newly founded state, are understandable in the context of their time. But today the film sector must realize the realities behind them and engage in some self-criticism. While the clerical officials -- and devout people -- heartily supported the War of Independence and while the first Parliament's respect for religion is well known, the Turkish filmmaking sector insistently opted to denigrate and humiliate religion and devout people, which had bad consequences. The constant portrayal of clerics as evil and disgusting characters has led to the alienation of the nation from cinema.
For some reason, clerics were portrayed as opponents of the national struggle. Clearly this does not correspond to historical realities. As a matter of fact, while there were some clerics who were against the national liberation movement, one cannot deny the support provided by the majority. Yet one can never find a positive portrayal of them in film. I do not want to do injustice to the filmmaking sector, as these negative stereotyping attempts are not limited to cinema. All fictional works suffer from this defect. "New" is represented by teachers, while "old" is symbolized by clerics. This applies both to novels and plays.
The unchanging cliché of the transition era: religion and religious people
The eruption of World War II had negative effects both on world cinema in general and the Turkish filmmaking sector in particular. At the end of this phase, known as the transition era, stage actors left the scene to directors. But the influence of stage actors was still visible in the films of this era. In 1948, the sector became financially supported by the state following a series of legal measures and this ushered in a diversification of the themes of the films. In 1949 the landmark film of negatively stereotyping clerics was produced: "Vurun Kahpeye." Directed by Lütfü Ö. Akad, "Vurun Kahpeye" pits the idealistic and enlightened teacher Aliye and the devious, devout cleric Hacı Fettah against each other. The most striking scene in the film is the lynching of Aliye by the "pro-sultan Hacı Fettah and the ignorant mob led by him." The film was adapted from Halide Edip Adıvar's novel of the same title. Her novel has been adapted to cinema three times and each time it has created major reactions. In its latest adaptation, Halif Refiğ adopted a delicate and cautious approach. Nevertheless, its damage in terms of stereotyping is great.
Interestingly, the Turkish cinema sector tends to portray the clerics as devious, ambitious, unreliable or lustful types while it refrains from making similar negative generalizations about other professions. Teachers are always respected, police officers are characterized as dignified people, soldiers are shown as symbols of national dignity and judges are portrayed as models of justice. Is it possible for any profession to include nothing but good people? Of course not. However, this is a consequence of the nation-building process. The fact that our stereotypes do not correspond to the stereotypes of world cinema is clear proof of the influence of political and social engineering projects on the Turkish cinema sector. In a later article, we will continue to discuss how internal dynamics have affected the cinema sector from the point of view of their perception of religion and devout people.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Should I Really Do It?
Bunu Gerçekten Yapmalı Mıyım? Should I Really Do It? 86", 35mmColor, German with English subtitles
Feature film by Ismail Necmi [1], starring Petra Woschniak. This real-life-feature follows the extraordinary life of Petra, a German woman living in Istanbul, in an ironic inversion of the Turkish migrant to Germany. Her life will take such strange turns you’ll think she’s following a script. But really, we’re watching a real life protagonist evolve in the face of life. For, ultimately, nothing is ever as surprising as life. Except, perhaps, fiction… During her sessions with Herold, a masked therapist, her life will unfold before our eyes and we will learn about everything: Istanbul, Germany, family, friends, drugs and death. Should I Really Do It? plays with these concepts of real life and fiction, documentary and drama. Could life ever be more interesting than fiction?The film's soundtrack was composed by Serkan Alkan, with additional tracks composed by Turkish-Techno musician, Mercan Dede.
The film was selected for international competition in both the 2008 Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival and the 2008 !F Istanbul International Film Festival.[3][1] In 2007, it was also recognized with selection in the 'Mediterranean Films Crossing Borders' programme of the Berlin International Film Festival and the 'European Films Crossing Borders' programme of the Cannes Film Festival.
The film was selected for international competition in both the 2008 Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival and the 2008 !F Istanbul International Film Festival.[3][1] In 2007, it was also recognized with selection in the 'Mediterranean Films Crossing Borders' programme of the Berlin International Film Festival and the 'European Films Crossing Borders' programme of the Cannes Film Festival.
[1] Ismail Necmi works as an independent photographer and filmmaker. Born in Turkey in 1970, he graduated from Istanbul University / Law Faculty. From 1988 to 1992, he worked on a number of movies, short movies, TV series and photo shoots. From 1993 to 2004, he worked as an editor and video graphic designer for ARD German TV Studio in Istanbul. As a photographer, he worked on his own projects: “Transformation” (2001), a solo Black & White photography exhibition in Dulcinea Istanbul, and “The image is YOU!”, a Black & White Interactive Photography Project launched in 2002, among others. Between 2006 and 2007, he worked as an instructor in Visual Communication Design and Photography and Video at Istanbul Bilgi University. In 2005, he started his own production company, “IN Works Istanbul”. In February 2008, he finished his début real-life-feature film, Should I really do it? which he produced and directed.
Contact: In Works Istanbul İsmail Necmi Hayriye Cad. 5/7, 34433 Galatasaray İstanbul, Turkey Tel: +90 212 292 5538 Fax: +90 212 292 5539 E-mail: info@ismailnecmi.com
The 11th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival
The 11th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival – Images of the 21st Century will take place from the 13th to the 22nd of March 2009.
The TDF is carried out every March in Thessaloniki since its inception in 1999 and under the umbrella of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival organization. Through its tributes and retrospectives, the TDF focuses on filmmakers with unique cinematic voices, internationally renowned for their contribution to the documentary genre. Dimitri Eipides, the Artistic Director of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival – Images of the 21st Century, has always believed that “recording reality is the most important and most contemporary element of civilization.”
CONTACTS THESSALONIKI DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL - IMAGES OF THE 21st CENTURY Address: 9 Αlexandras Avenue, GR-11473 Athens, Greece Tel: (+30 210) 87 06 000 Fax: (+30 210) 64 48 143 email: documentary@filmfestival.gr
The TDF is carried out every March in Thessaloniki since its inception in 1999 and under the umbrella of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival organization. Through its tributes and retrospectives, the TDF focuses on filmmakers with unique cinematic voices, internationally renowned for their contribution to the documentary genre. Dimitri Eipides, the Artistic Director of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival – Images of the 21st Century, has always believed that “recording reality is the most important and most contemporary element of civilization.”
CONTACTS THESSALONIKI DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL - IMAGES OF THE 21st CENTURY Address: 9 Αlexandras Avenue, GR-11473 Athens, Greece Tel: (+30 210) 87 06 000 Fax: (+30 210) 64 48 143 email: documentary@filmfestival.gr
SIYAD 2008 Awards Nominations
SİYAD - Sinema Yazarları Derneği / Turkish Film Critics Association announced 2008 Awards Nominations
Best Film
* ARA (Yapımcılar: Ümit ÜNAL, Mustafa USLU)* RIZA (Yapımcılar: Tayfun PİRSELİMOĞLU, İlknur AKANLAR)* SONBAHAR (Yapımcı: F. Serkan ACAR)* TATİL KITABI (Yapımcılar: Yamaç OKUR, Nadir ÖPERLİ)* ÜÇ MAYMUN (Yapımcı: Zeynep ÖZBATUR)
Best Direction
* Özcan ALPER (Sonbahar)* Nuri Bilge CEYLAN (Üç Maymun)* Kazım ÖZ (Fırtına)* Tayfun PİRSELİMOĞLU (Rıza)* Ümit ÜNAL (Ara)
Best Female Performance
* Demet AKBAĞ (O... Çocukları)* Hatice ASLAN (Üç Maymun)* Ayça DAMGACI (Gitmek)* Selen UÇER (Ara)* Nurgül YEŞİLÇAY (Vicdan)
Best male Performance
* Erdem AKAKÇE (Ara)* Rıza AKIN (Rıza)* Yavuz BİNGÖL (Üç Maymun)* Onur SAYLAK (Sonbahar)* Cem YILMAZ (A.R.O.G: Bir Yontmataş Filmi)
Best Female Performance in a Supporting Role
* Nurcan EREN (Rıza)* Vahide GÖRDÜM (Devrim Arabaları)* Megi KOBALADZE (Sonbahar)* Yıldız KÜLTÜR (Issız Adam)* Tülin ÖZEN (Vicdan)
Best Male Performance in a Supporting Role
* Taner BİRSEL (Tatil Kitabı)* Serkan KESKİN (Sonbahar)* Volga SORGU (Gitmek)* Ahmet Rıfat ŞUNGAR (Üç Maymun)* Onur ÜNSAL (Devrim Arabaları)
Best original Screenplay
* Özcan ALPER (Sonbahar)* Ebru CEYLAN, Ercan KESAL, Nuri Bilge CEYLAN (Üç Maymun)* Tayfun PİRSELİMOĞLU (Rıza)* İnan TEMELKURAN (Made in Europe)* Ümit ÜNAL (Ara)
Best Cinematography
* Arnau Valls COLOMER (Tatil Kitabı)* Feza ÇALDIRAN (Sonbahar)* Colin MOUNIER (Rıza)* Gökhan TİRYAKİ (Üç Maymun)* Soykut TURAN (A.R.O.G: Bir Yontmataş Filmi)
Best Musical Score
* Goran BREGOVIC (Mustafa)* Mazlum ÇİMEN (Son Cellat)* Demir DEMİRKAN (Devrim Arabaları)* Ayşenur KOLİVAR, Yuri YEDCANKO, Sumru AĞIRYÜRÜYEN, Onok BOZKURT (Sonbahar)* Evanthia REBOUTSIKA (Ulak)
Best Editing
* Erhan ACAR JR. (A.R.O.G: Bir Yontmataş Filmi)* Thomas BALKENHOL (Sonbahar)* Ayhan ERGÜRSEL, Bora GÖKŞİNGÖL, Nuri Bilge CEYLAN (Üç Maymun)* Çiçek KAHRAMAN (Ara)* İnan TEMELKURAN (Made in Europe)
Best Art Direction
* Ebru CEYLAN (Üç Maymun)* Veli KAHRAMAN (Devrim Arabaları)* Mustafa Ziya ÜLKENCİLER (Ulak)* Hakan YARKIN (A.R.O.G: Bir Yontmataş Filmi)* Natali YERES (Rıza)
Best Documentary Film
* Bu Ne Güzel Demokrasi! (Yönetmenler: Belmin SÖYLEMEZ, Berke BAŞ, Haşmet TOPALOĞLU, Somnur VARDAR)* Devrimci Gençlik Köprüsü (Yönetmen: Bahriye KABADAYI)* Son Kumsal (Yönetmen: Rüya Arzu KÖKSAL)* 3 Saat (Yönetmen: Can CANDAN)* Volga Volga (Yönetmen: Ayşegül TAŞKENT)
Best Short Film
* Ayak Altında (Yönetmen: M. Cem ÖZTÜFEKÇİ)* Gemeinschaft (Yönetmen: Özlem AKIN)* Pembe İnek (Yönetmen: Onur GÜRSOY)* Süt ve Çikolata (Yönetmen: Senem TÜZEN)* Unus Mundus (Yönetmen: Senem TÜZEN)
Best Film
* ARA (Yapımcılar: Ümit ÜNAL, Mustafa USLU)* RIZA (Yapımcılar: Tayfun PİRSELİMOĞLU, İlknur AKANLAR)* SONBAHAR (Yapımcı: F. Serkan ACAR)* TATİL KITABI (Yapımcılar: Yamaç OKUR, Nadir ÖPERLİ)* ÜÇ MAYMUN (Yapımcı: Zeynep ÖZBATUR)
Best Direction
* Özcan ALPER (Sonbahar)* Nuri Bilge CEYLAN (Üç Maymun)* Kazım ÖZ (Fırtına)* Tayfun PİRSELİMOĞLU (Rıza)* Ümit ÜNAL (Ara)
Best Female Performance
* Demet AKBAĞ (O... Çocukları)* Hatice ASLAN (Üç Maymun)* Ayça DAMGACI (Gitmek)* Selen UÇER (Ara)* Nurgül YEŞİLÇAY (Vicdan)
Best male Performance
* Erdem AKAKÇE (Ara)* Rıza AKIN (Rıza)* Yavuz BİNGÖL (Üç Maymun)* Onur SAYLAK (Sonbahar)* Cem YILMAZ (A.R.O.G: Bir Yontmataş Filmi)
Best Female Performance in a Supporting Role
* Nurcan EREN (Rıza)* Vahide GÖRDÜM (Devrim Arabaları)* Megi KOBALADZE (Sonbahar)* Yıldız KÜLTÜR (Issız Adam)* Tülin ÖZEN (Vicdan)
Best Male Performance in a Supporting Role
* Taner BİRSEL (Tatil Kitabı)* Serkan KESKİN (Sonbahar)* Volga SORGU (Gitmek)* Ahmet Rıfat ŞUNGAR (Üç Maymun)* Onur ÜNSAL (Devrim Arabaları)
Best original Screenplay
* Özcan ALPER (Sonbahar)* Ebru CEYLAN, Ercan KESAL, Nuri Bilge CEYLAN (Üç Maymun)* Tayfun PİRSELİMOĞLU (Rıza)* İnan TEMELKURAN (Made in Europe)* Ümit ÜNAL (Ara)
Best Cinematography
* Arnau Valls COLOMER (Tatil Kitabı)* Feza ÇALDIRAN (Sonbahar)* Colin MOUNIER (Rıza)* Gökhan TİRYAKİ (Üç Maymun)* Soykut TURAN (A.R.O.G: Bir Yontmataş Filmi)
Best Musical Score
* Goran BREGOVIC (Mustafa)* Mazlum ÇİMEN (Son Cellat)* Demir DEMİRKAN (Devrim Arabaları)* Ayşenur KOLİVAR, Yuri YEDCANKO, Sumru AĞIRYÜRÜYEN, Onok BOZKURT (Sonbahar)* Evanthia REBOUTSIKA (Ulak)
Best Editing
* Erhan ACAR JR. (A.R.O.G: Bir Yontmataş Filmi)* Thomas BALKENHOL (Sonbahar)* Ayhan ERGÜRSEL, Bora GÖKŞİNGÖL, Nuri Bilge CEYLAN (Üç Maymun)* Çiçek KAHRAMAN (Ara)* İnan TEMELKURAN (Made in Europe)
Best Art Direction
* Ebru CEYLAN (Üç Maymun)* Veli KAHRAMAN (Devrim Arabaları)* Mustafa Ziya ÜLKENCİLER (Ulak)* Hakan YARKIN (A.R.O.G: Bir Yontmataş Filmi)* Natali YERES (Rıza)
Best Documentary Film
* Bu Ne Güzel Demokrasi! (Yönetmenler: Belmin SÖYLEMEZ, Berke BAŞ, Haşmet TOPALOĞLU, Somnur VARDAR)* Devrimci Gençlik Köprüsü (Yönetmen: Bahriye KABADAYI)* Son Kumsal (Yönetmen: Rüya Arzu KÖKSAL)* 3 Saat (Yönetmen: Can CANDAN)* Volga Volga (Yönetmen: Ayşegül TAŞKENT)
Best Short Film
* Ayak Altında (Yönetmen: M. Cem ÖZTÜFEKÇİ)* Gemeinschaft (Yönetmen: Özlem AKIN)* Pembe İnek (Yönetmen: Onur GÜRSOY)* Süt ve Çikolata (Yönetmen: Senem TÜZEN)* Unus Mundus (Yönetmen: Senem TÜZEN)
Sunday, February 01, 2009
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