Saturday, 18 August 2018

UZAK

"Uzak" was Nuri Bilge Ceylan's third film but it was the one that established him internationally and marked him out as a world class director. It's an astonishingly mature and imaginative picture displaying great visual acuity as well as a deep understanding of human nature. It's about two cousins, Mahmut, a photographer whose wife has left him and Yusuf, who has come to stay with him while looking for a job. At first their relationship is cordial and friendly but gradually Yusuf begins to get on Mahmut's nerves. Ceylan tells his tale with great empathy and a good degree of humour, despite the sadness at the centre and draws wonderful performances from Muzaffer Ozdemir as Mahmut and Emin Toprak as Yusuf. Tragically, Toprak was killed in a car accident just after the film was completed and posthumously shared the best actor prize at Cannes with his co-star. Absolutely essential viewing

3 comments:

  1. Ceylan's cinema is breathtaking. It takes a great deal to show utter ugliness in a picturesque and beautiful way.

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    Replies
    1. I find that certain Turkish and Greek film-makers revel in showing the uglier and darker side of their countries, the side the tourists never see.

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    2. I agree my friend. :)

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