The year of politics and thrillers in Turkish cinema

2011 in Turkish cinema saw political propaganda cede its place to more objective storytelling and directors hone their craft with action/thriller-type films. In 2012, meanwhile, vampires are getting ready to sink their teeth into cinemas

Last year might not have been the most inspirational one in Turkey’s cinematic history, but it saw the biggest number of movies released in 20 years. There were the obligatory award-winning art house movies, and the mainstream comedies aiming for cheap laughs.

But 2011 was also the year political propaganda gave way to a more refined method of storytelling in regard to Turkey’s recent history. 2011 also saw some directors try their craft in action/thrillers to impressive effect. Here’s a look at some examples of the trends in 2011 films, though there were many more that could have made our list.

Click here for full article (Hürriyet Daily News)

'The Son' looks harrowingly at fathers and sons

Director and writer Atilla Cengiz’s ‘Oğul’ (The Son) tackles war in southeastern Turkey through two fathers’ tragedy. While the story feels half-baked at times, the film reflects the grim atmosphere of war. 

As the deliberate attempts to remove taboo status from the guerilla war in the southeast Turkey brought new rights and initiatives for the freedom for the Kurds, Turkish cinema immediately jumped on the bandwagon.

Mainstream cinema, exemplified most famously by Mahsun Kırmızıgül’s Güneşi Gördüm (I Saw the Sun), opted for the safe road of being more sympathetic and less condemning towards the past. A number of Kurdish filmmakers, on the other hand, offered an independent Turkish cinema, more fresh and aiming straight at the heart of the issues. Hüseyin Karabey, Kazım Öz and Özgür Doğan are notable filmmakers coming from a background of documentary and docu-drama.

This week’s Oğul (The Son) falls closer to the second category, offering a uniquely heartbreaking story and a promising new director, despite the shortcomings of the film. Oğul is director and writer Atilla Cengiz’s debut feature. Aficionados of the Turkish TV series will know some of Cengiz’s work as director and assistant director from TV in projects like Hayat Apartmanı (The Apartment of Life) and Aşk Yeniden (Love Again).

Click here for full article (Hürriyet Daily News)