'Gül Hasan' finds its belated audience

Acclaimed Turkish actor Tuncel Kurtiz’s directorial debut of three decades back finally finds an audience thanks to the recent Festival On Wheels. ‘Gül Hasan’ (Hasan the Rose) of 1979 might just be the first example of Turkey’s immigrant cinema.

An internationally acclaimed, award-winning film directed by one of the most prominent names in Turkish cinema is basically a no name here in Turkey. Gül Hasan (Hasan the Rose), the film that marked the stage and screen actor Tuncel Kurtiz’s directorial debut in 1979, had wowed critics during its release in Europe, bringing Kurtiz a best director award in Sweden.

The film had hit some nerves in Turkey, making it the film non grata. It was overlooked during its release, and when the timing coincided with the period of heavy censorship following the 1980 coup, it was eventually forgotten. Now, after three decades, the film is finding an audience in Turkey, mostly thanks to the Festival On Wheels that recently traveled to Ankara, Sinop and İzmir. The film was screened under a special section called Emigres devoted to Kurtiz’s film.

Click here for full article (Hürriyet Daily News)