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In his first full-length film Ceylan introduces many subjects and figures that reappear in his later films. It tells the story of three generations of a family living in the provinces. The film's structure follows the course of a day which for its part reflects the cycle of the four seasons. The first part is set in the winter and follows a girl and her little brother at school. In the afternoon they wander through springlike nature and discover animals and their secrets, and by the evening time they reach their family, which has set up camp on the edge of a field. Their grandparents, parents and older cousin all sit around a campfire where, as the night goes on, a discussion ensues about life's central issues.
Nuri Bilge Ceylan, born in Istanbul in 1959, initially studied Electrical Engineering and later served in an army battalion in Anatolia, where he passed the time by reading. Reading Roman Polanski’s autobiography aroused his interest in filmmaking, which led him to study Film Studies in Istanbul and London. Ceylan’s feature debut Kasaba received its world premiere at the Forum in 1998 and was awarded the Caligari prize there. Since then, Ceylan’s films have received numerous international prizes, including at the Cannes Film Festival.
Production: NBC Film
Camera: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Format: 35mm, b/w
Running Time: 85 min.
Language: Turkish
