The less famous the history of cinema a particular country has, the more impressive is the film masterpiece that is released under the flag of this state. This rule applies very precisely to Turkey, which, although it cannot boast of a colossal film tradition, still amazes with its films of recent years. In this regard, we have selected the ten most striking Turkish films.
Losers Club (2011) Tolga Ornek
One of the most stylish Turkish comedies, this is about two DJs who host a show on a local radio. For several hours of the night broadcast, they play rare records and talk about women, literature, life, like two friends who met in a bar over a glass of beer.
Literally every frame in this film is imbued with the beauty of the night, the lyrics of loneliness and the romance of a free life.
Head against the wall (2003) Fatih Akin
At the center of this rather gloomy story is a Turkish woman, Sibel, who is accustomed to a free life, not subject to any traditions or barriers. But when she reached the age at which it is no longer “appropriate to lead a riotous lifestyle” and she must get married, the girl enters into a fictitious marriage with the loser Kahit. This adventure forces her relatives to leave her behind with instructive instructions, and allows her to continue her previous lifestyle. However, in reality everything is not so simple…
The film collected a whole collection of prestigious awards, including the Berlinale Golden Bear and prizes from the European Film Academy.
Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (2011) Nuri Bilge Ceylan
The plot brings together many events into one story. And at the same time it remains somewhere in the background, or even in the third. At the same time, the main content of the film consists of observations of the main characters, who spend time on the road having short conversations, both about nothing and about the most intimate things. The picture amazes with its extreme realism and simplicity, which, however, hides the bottomless depth of meanings, subtexts and symbols.
This poetic film by one of the outstanding Middle Eastern directors, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, was awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
My Father and My Son (2005) Chagan Yrmak
The film describes the eternal conflict in the relationship between fathers and children. The plot centers on a man, Sadyk, who has to simultaneously reconcile the mistakes of his youth with his father and at the same time raise his little son so that he does not repeat his mistakes.
The film received many positive reviews from critics from all over the world and, as a result, collected a whole collection of awards at international film festivals.
On the Edge of Heaven (2007) Fatih Akin
The story told in this picture opens up to the viewer a whole panorama of the most diverse human destinies. Here is the old man Ali, who is fleeing loneliness, and Yetar, who went to the panel for the well-being of her daughter, and the cynical intellectual Nejat, who, however, as a result will have to take responsibility for those whom he neglected from the very beginning. The film perfectly conveys the flavor of life of Turkish emigrants in Germany.
World-renowned director Fatih Akin received the Cannes Film Festival prize for the script for this film, as well as the European Film Academy award.
Autumn (2008) Ozcan Elper
The plot tells about political prisoner Amshenets Yusuf, who is released into the tenth year of imprisonment and tries to establish contacts with relatives and friends. He was released from prison due to health reasons, because he only had one autumn to live. However, this short time will become the most wonderful period of his life: he will feel what the beauty of the world is, feel freedom and meet true love.
The film collected a whole collection of awards, including a prize at the Locarno Film Festival and a nomination for “Discovery of the Year” at the European Film Academy.
Distant (2002) Nuri Bilge Ceylan
In the center of the plot is a failed photographer Mahmud, whose wife leaves him, and at the same time, his distant relative, who came to Istanbul for part-time work, falls on his head. The melancholy winter season exacerbates Mahmoud’s depression, so that even when fate gives him a chance to improve his life, he rejects it. The main character seems to be getting excited, destroying himself from the inside.
In this film, director Nuri Bilge Ceylan paid a nod to his idol, Andrei Tarkovsky. “Alienation” not only conveys the atmosphere of the films of the Russian genius, but also contains several quotes from “Stalker”.
The filmmaker received the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes for this film, and was also awarded FIPRESCI at the San Sebiastian Film Festival.
Happiness (2007) Abdullah Oguz
A difficult psychological drama about a young Turkish woman who is one day found raped near her home village. According to patriarchal traditions, she must be killed because she dishonored not only herself, but also her entire family. However, the parents do not raise their hand to do this and they call their relative “for help” – a young guy Dzhemal, who recently returned from military service.
Breathing: Long live the Fatherland (2009) Levent Semerdzhi
The film very accurately conveys the atmosphere of military service: the relationship between officers and recruits who have not yet “sniffed gunpowder,” as well as courage and fear during combat operations. At first glance, the main characters are not people, but real animals in military uniform who are ready to do anything to win the battle. But gradually the plot reveals the human – true – faces of the soldiers, forcing you to empathize with them and sincerely wish for each of them to remain alive, no matter how impossible it may be.
Vizontele (2001) Yilmaz Erdogan and Omer Faruk Sorak
The film takes place in the 70s, when technological progress gradually began to reach even the smallest towns. In one of these places one day a television appears, which people begin to call “Vizontele”.
Local residents reacted to this invention in completely different ways: some said that this was the work of the devil, while others proclaimed the beginning of a new era of humanity. Many jokes in the film are based on the relationship with the first television of people who have no idea about television.