TurkishFilmChannel Blog

Turkish film gets top award at ADIEFF

zeze — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:31:17 +0000

Ruya Arzu Koksal`s documentary Bir Avuç Cesur İnsan (A Few Brave People) returns with top honor from Abu Dhabi International Environmental Film Festival. Following her Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival special jury award winner Ordu`da Bir Argonot (An Argonaut in Ordu) (2010), Bir Avuç Cesur İnsan had premiered at 2011 !f Istanbul Independent Film Festival. Most recent from Koksal`s environmentally themed filmography, Bir Avuç Cesur İnsan, describes the struggle of the residents of the eastern Black Sea region of Turkey, against the dam projects targeting the area`s rivers. The rivers in the area to be rented to private companies by the government to construct hydroelectric stations, resulting in substantial damage to the environment. As some of the projects get close to completion, people of the neighboring towns stand up to prevent government from selling their rivers to corporations. This film chronicles their lives over this 3 year period, depicting their story of courage which for the most part, has been shunned by the media.

Pelin Esmer’s Oyun (The Play) is available to rent on YouTube

tfc — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 22:40:24 +0000

Ummuye, Behiye, Ummu, Fatma K., Cennet, Saniye, Fatma F., Zeynep and Nesime are nine women living in Arslankoy, a mountain village in southern Turkey. They spend their days working hard in the fields, on the construction site and at home. To lighten the burden of life, these women come together for a wholly different reason. They intend to write and perform a play based on their own life stories. They gather at the local high school, which they were shy of even stepping into until that day and they work with the principal, Mr. Huseyin. They reveal their life stories that they were even afraid to tell themselves and confront. For days on end, under the curious gazes of the village men, they work tirelessly, discuss and create with much fun a play, “The Outcry of Women!” This documentary is about the development process of this play and the change the women went through during this period.

Directed by Pelin Esmer and produced by SineFilm, Oyun (The Play) won many awards all around the world including “Best New Documentary Filmmaker” award in Tribeca Film Festival.

Now you can rent and watch Oyun (The Play) on our YouTube Channel with English or French subtitles. Please note that as of today YouTube rentals are available in the following countries only GB, AU, BR, RU, JP, KR, FR, ES, CA, US. We are doing our best to get this great documentary digitally available all around the world.

Learning Italian with Claudia Cardinale

tfc — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 12:38:09 +0000

“Claudia Cardinale’s entry into the business was by way of a beauty pageant. She was 17 years old and studying at the Centro Sperimentale in Rome when she entered a beauty contest, which resulted in her getting a succession of small film roles.

Her earthy interpretations of Sicilian women got her noticed by Italian producers, and the combination of her beauty, dark, flashing eyes, explosive sexuality and genuine acting talent virtually guaranteed her stardom.

After Careless (1962) she rose to the front ranks of Italian cinema, and became an international star in Federico Fellini‘s classic 8½ (1963) with Marcello Mastroianni. American audiences may best remember her from her starring role in Sergio Leone‘s Once Upon a Time in the West (1968).” ~ IMDB

Claudia Cardinale in Signora Enrica (2010)

In 2010 Claudia Cardinale starred in a Turkish production “Being Italian with Signora Enrica“, written and directed by Ali Ilhan. A favorite at the 47th Antalya “Golden Orange” International Film Festival this delightful dramatic comedy follows geeky Turkish exchange student Ekin (Ismail Hacioglu) who journeys from Istanbul to study in Italy. Ekin shows up at his new boarding house in Rimini only to find he is not welcome because of his gender. The owner, Signora Enrica (Claudia Cardinale) has a strict no-men policy after being abandoned by her husband three decades prior. After some coaxing she’s persuaded to make an exception, allowing Ekin to stay. He immediately falls in love with beautiful Sicilian housemate, Valentina, (Lavinia Longhi). Unable to speak a word of Italian, his clumsy attempts to woo her go unnoticed until Signora Enrica takes pity on him and begins teaching him the skills needed to win Valentina’s affections. The two forge an unlikely friendship and in the end it is not only Ekin who is changed.

You can now watch Claudia Cardinale as Signora Enrica (2010) online on Amazon Instant Video!

Turkish Passport available for rent on YouTube

tfc — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:02:00 +0000

The Turkish Passport documents the lives of Turkish diplomats and Jews living in occupied France during World War II and the lengths Turkish diplomats went through to save their Jewish counterparts. When Germans announced the compulsory ‘round-up’ of all Jews living in Europe, Turkish diplomats lobbied extrication from German officials while arguing that the Turkish Constitution made no distinction of race or religion. In doing so they not only saved the lives of Turkish Jews, but also foreign Jews condemned to a certain death by giving them Turkish Passports. Using survivor footage, historical documents, and poignant reenactments, the film tells the stories of the Jewish people saved by their efforts.

Directed by Burak Arlıel and produced by Inter Film Istanbul, this documentary was featured at the Cannes Film Festival in 2011 – it also won ‘Best Feature Documentary Award’ at the 2011 Moondance International Film Festival.

Now you can rent and watch The Turkish Passport on our YouTube Channel Please note that as of today YouTube rentals are available in the following countries only GB, AU, BR, RU, JP, KR, FR, ES, CA, US. We are doing our best to get this great documentary digitally available all around the world.

Sinyora Enrica ile İtalyan Olmak iTunes’da

tfc — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:43:33 +0000

Sinyora Enrica’nın kocası yıllar önce arkasında oğlunu da bırakarak evi terketmiştir. Kocasından sonra hiç bir erkeği kapısından bile içeri sokmayan Sinyora Enrica’nın Türk genci Ekin ile tanışmasıyla herşey değişir. Evindeki boş odaları kız öğrencilere kiralayan ve evinin kapılarını bu yabancıya açmak istemeyen Sinyora Enrica sadece evini açmakla kalmayıp, yıllarca kilitli tuttuğu kalbini de bu Türk gencine açacaktır.

Dünyanın birçok festivalinden ödüllerle dönen film dünyanın en ünlü aktrislerinden Claudia Cardinale‘yi de içeren oyuncu kadrosuyla 2011′in en önemli yapımlarından birisi olmuştu. Senaryoyu çok sevdiği için projeye katıldığını söyleyen Cardinale, Antalya Altın Portakal Film Festivalinde En İyi Kadın Oyuncu ödülü aldı. Ali İlhan‘ın yazıp yönettiği Sinyora Enrica ile İtalyan Olmak şimdi iTunes Türkiye’de yayında.

Turkish Film Channel films on Amazon Instant Video

tfc — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 06:11:34 +0000

Turkish Film Channel’s catalog on Amazon Instant Video is constantly growing. And we are always working on getting more titles available for streaming to provide our viewers in the US with more options. Following are some staff picks on this platform. Enjoy!

Uzak İhtimal (Wrong Rosary), directed by M. Fazıl Coşkun

WRONG ROSARY (UZAK İHTİMAL) tells a peculiar love story that takes place in the wonderful atmosphere of modern-day Istanbul. Musa is a young muezzin who comes to Istanbul for the first time in his life. He is assigned to work in a mosque and receives an apartment in the Galata neighborhood. Upon his arrival he meets and falls for his next door neighbor Clara, a beautiful Catholic nurse. In the beginning, Musa is shy and confused about his feelings, but as time passes his love for Clara pervades his life.

Karanlık Sular (Serpent’s Tale), directed by Kutluğ Ataman

Ataman’s first full-length film is a strangely interesting vampire-horror-psychological mystery set in Istanbul’s early 90s. The deliberately confusing story purports to be a retelling of a futuristic tale written in the late 1800s by a descendent of Ottoman royalty who met a tragic end. The cast of characters include: the missing and presumed to be dead Haldun, Haldun’s mother Lamia, her controlling yet dependent businessman boyfriend, an American researcher turned hitman, a French linguist and of course an 800 year old child/vampire.

Masumiyet (Innocence), directed by Zeki Demirkubuz

Yusuf is released from prison after serving a ten year sentence. He is scared of life outside as he goes to an address given to him by another prisoner. Because of unexpected problems at his sister’s house, he finds himself in an old and cheap hotel in Izmir where he meets a man, a woman and a child who will complicate his life in unexpected ways. Yusuf, who tries to survive in this new city, soon finds himself in an extraordinary love triangle.

Havar, directed by Mehmet Güleryüz

Director Mehmet Güleryüz tells a story about honor killings taking place in Southeastern Turkey in this drama with all amateur actors. Sehmus goes mad when he hears rumors about his to-be-bride Havar getting close with a guy from a neighboring village. He asks Havar’s father to punish her with death.

Münferit (Murky Waters) by Dersu Yavuz Altun

You’d salt the meat when it stinks… what if the salt stinks? In the midst of a night, an unexpected ferryboat approaches to the shores of a cute little town. On the deck, an inspector and his assistant – two highly commissioned authorities only assigned to very fragile cases concerning the government, scans the town from a distance.

If you want to see more of what is available, here is the complete list of Turkish Film Channel titles on Amazon Instant Video.

iTunes Türkiye’deki en popüler Turkish Film Channel filmleri

tfc — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 18:31:54 +0000

TurkishFilmChannel olarak iTunes Türkiye‘de şu ana kadar 20 filmimizi yayına çıkardık. Yayına başlayalı henüz 3 ay oldu, yakında daha da çok filmimiz yayında olacak. Türkiye’deki seyircilerin ilk 3 ayda bu 20 filmden en çok seyrettiği 3 film şöyle:

1) Mavi Pansiyon (Blue Lodge), yönetmen Nezih Ünen

Tatil için Akdeniz’in cennet bir köşesindeki Mavi Pansiyon’a giden Ahmet (Yunus Güner), sevimli ve çapkın bir mimardır. Orada Bahar (Fadik Atasoy) ve Esra (Özlem Tekin) adlı iki güzel kızla tanışır.

2) Geriye Kalan (What Remains), yönetmen Çiğdem Vitrinel

7 yıldır evli ve çocuklu bir kadın olan Sevda’nın (Şebnem Hassanisoughi) huzurlu ve düzenli bir dünyası vardır. Bu güvenli dünya kocası Cezmi’nin (Erkan Bektaş) kendisini başka bir kadınla (Devin Özgür Çınar) aldattığını fark etmesiyle sarsılır. Sevda bir ev kadını titizliğiyle öteki kadının peşine düşer.

3) Anadolu’nun Kayıp Şarkıları (Lost Songs of Anatolia), yönetmen Nezih Ünen

Bir film düşünün, rüya gibi bir yolculuk yapıyorsunuz. Uygarlığın beşiği olduğu halde dünyanın unutmuş olduğu yerleri görüyor ve eşsiz Anadolu insanından olağanüstü müzikler dinlerken büyüleyici manzaraların tadını çıkarıyorsunuz. Yaşadığınız ülkeyi ne kadar tanımadığınızı hayretle görüyor, bu muhteşem halkı bir kere daha sevgiyle, coşkuyla kucaklamak istiyorsunuz. Bu filmi bütün dünya görsün, gururumuza tanık olsun istiyorsunuz.

Most popular TurkishFilmChannel films on iTunes Turkey

tfc — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 17:51:04 +0000

As TurkishFilmChannel we made 20 Turkish films available on iTunes Turkey so far. It has been three months since the launch and needless to say there are more in the pipe.

Among these 20, film lovers in Turkey made the following 3 films the most popular in the first 3 months:

1) Mavi Pansiyon (Blue Lodge), directed by Nezih Ünen

Coming to a small, beautiful town by the Aegean Sea, resuming his roguish behavior and hoping to have a nice vacation, Ahmet (Yunus Güner) meets two girls: Esra (Özlem Tekin), a free spirit like himself and more secluded and emotional Bahar (Fadik Atasoy). Ahmet can’t decide between them.

2) Geriye Kalan (What Remains), directed by Çiğdem Vitrinel

In a loveless marriage to the quiet and obsessive Sevda (Sebnem Hassanisoughi), successful hospital manager Cezmi (Erkan Bektaş) gives in to his attraction for single mother and co-worker Zuhal (Devin Özgür Çınar). Newly separated from a husband she still loves while mothering a son with health problems, winsome Zuhal is not the typical adulteress.

3) Anadolu’nun Kayıp Şarkıları (Lost Songs of Anatolia), directed by Nezih Ünen

A musical voyage among exotic places and people of Anatolia, unique host of ancient civilizations, empires as well as mythologies and glory of 10 millennia.

Ersoy Güler’s Sağ Salim (Safe and Sound) is now in Turkish Film Channel catalog

tfc — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 22:35:20 +0000

Director Ersoy Güler‘s debut film Sağ Salim (Safe and Sound) begins with an apparently innocuous request from a village elder to take a recently deceased man to his home village for proper burial. Salim (Burçin Bildik), the simple village man on which this request is bestowed, is afraid of death and by extension dead people, but he reluctantly agrees to take the dead man in his truck in order to incur good-will. Almost immediately after departure, Salim’s well-intended journey is complicated by car accidents, armed robbers, a damsel in distress and a mysterious drifter. The body count increases as the identities of the various individuals, living and dead are revealed leaving Salim culpable of heinous crimes and unable to return to the previous sleepy-village life that he once enjoyed.

More about Sağ Salim (Safe and Sound)

A Cinematic World Tour in 100 days

tfc — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 22:02:09 +0000

Christopher Kelleher is an American author from Portland, Oregon. Beginning of 2013 he started his fantastic project named “Feedme Subtitles” with a goal to watch and write about one foreign film a day for 100 days. He calls it “a cinematic world tour — with an emphasis on diversity of language, era, and style”.

On day 32, Mr Kelleher picked one of TurkishFilmChannel‘s titles. He watched M. Fazil Coskun’s Uzak Ihtimal (Wrong Rosary), rated it 7.5/10. Here is an excerpt of his review “The movie’s beauty stems from its delicacy, restraint, and attention to detail. I had concerns going in that it would be a formulaic romance or labored message-film about tolerance. In fact, the romance defies formula at every turn, particularly at the end, and the film exudes tolerance without ever telling us what to think.” Here is the rest.

To find out more about Mr Kelleher’s cinematic world tour check out his website http://feedmesubtitles.com/

You can watch Uzak Ihtimal (Wrong Rosary) online on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Ximon and MUBI.