Masumiyet (1997)

User Rating:

8.5/10   

Director:

Zeki Demirkubuz

Writer:

Zeki Demirkubuz (writer)

Release Date:

24 October 1997 (Turkey)

Genre:

Drama

Awards:

6 wins

Cast

Güven Kiraç	...	Yusuf
Derya Alabora	...	Ugur
Haluk Bilginer	...	Bekir
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ajlan Aktug	...	Eniste
Iskender Altin	...	Otobüsteki Polis
Yalcin Cakmak	...	Cezaevi Müdürü
Umit Cirak	...	Necati
Apo Demirkubuz	...	Baskindaki Polis
Dursun Derebasi	...	Hastabakici
Namik Eken	...	Baskindaki Polis
Nazim Gök	...	Enistenin Oglu
Eray Kantarci	...	Oteldeki Adam
Feridun Koc	...	Satici
Nihal G. Koldas	...	Abla
Engin Kurtcuoglu	...	Zagor Baba
Erdogan Seren	...	Pavyondaki Adam
Riza Sonmez	...	Kahvedeki Adam
Melis Tuna	...	Çilem
Süha Tuna	...	Sorgucu Polis
Dogan Turan	...	Otelci
Salih Urfa	...	Oteldeki Fedai

Also Known As:

Innocence (International: English title)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

Turkey

Language:

Turkish

Color:

Color

Certification:

France:U

Filming Locations:

Ankara, Turkey

Company:

Mavi Film

Movie Connections:

References The Kid (1921)

anti-heroic people who have nothing else to give except love

An f word: Demirkubuz is maybe the only director in nowadays Turkey, who bothers himself with the everyday life, or life in general, of the so-called damned. This is one of the most obvious features of his filmography. Lives that are hidden behind the curtains, which go on when 'we', the 'ordinary' people sleep or work, or lives which we read about in the newspapers and blame (much more the case) or appreciate them. Lives that are not familiar with some words like big money, stocks, career, future plans, fame or how it is called in Turkey: pacayi siyirmak (similar to get off the hook). Those characters do not have or make plans for the next few months: they try to live the next day through, and as in Masumiyet, some decide to not to. There are always spontaneously opening doors in life, and it depends on you as the observer, or the reader-watcher of those "far away lives" to try to understand or to tell between seeing and looking. Masumiyet is a lecture for this, too.

The acting: Haluk Bilginer, one of the most famous and also well playing actors of Turkey really had better performances. Derya Alabora, quite well acting and let me no words to say. And, Guven Kirac. You can observe how a talented actor can act. He is that successful in acting in this movie that his playing builds up a big shadow over the whole scene going on through this film. He and the others mentioned are quite fine and professionally acting, which gives this film a taste of artificiality; something you might understand when you watch Kader (2006). The Story: both at the same time: minimalist and extraordinary. An important critic of TV in our everyday life is mixed in this descriptive narration. The directing: superb. Demirkubuz, might be regarded as a bridge between Dogma "philosophy" and Italian neo-realism. But certain scenes exist which interrupt the fluency of the film. When Yusuf (Guven Kirac) and the little girl (also referenced unnecessarily to Chaplin's The Kid in the film) arrive in Ankara and go to the place called KralDisco, there is a song in the background of the kurdish music group "Koma Amed". One can think that this music comes from inside of that place, but a sort of music which is totally unrelated to such places. This scene turns a trivia to a goof.

Finally: Demirkubuz managed to open an anti-heroic era in Turkish cinema, after the long lag of Yilmaz Guney (ceased in 1984). Lives of the outsiders defined without abstractions is one of his main routes. And, god thanks, he is doing this. This is a movie about people who have nothing else to offer except love and solidarity in the very bottom. About people living in a society where there is a sharp line between interests such as daily stocks figures or supply of daily bread.