11'e 10 Kala

First things first: the script is probably as close to real life as it can be. Main protagonist Mithat Esmer (RIP), who also happened to be the uncle of the director Pelin Esmer, was really a collector and played his real self. Viewed in this light, the director, imho, is paying her respects to this really unique person, as well as letting us to join her at puzzling over the mystery of her enigmatic "uncle the collector".

In addition to the really pure and unforced acting of Mithat Esmer and Nejat Isler, the neighbours, the mood in the post-earthquake "tear down-and-rebuild" era Istanbul is portrayed strikingly authentic. The documentary mannered shots in the streets of Istanbul or the scenes with the street/small business vendors(most of which are probably real characters and no actors) do not feel like out of place at all even though rest of the movie has a rather "cinematic" feel.

And the ending, oh that ending. It could not have been crafted any better. Without wanting to spoil it, the unadorned, unpretentious, slow but effective language of the movie, reaches its peak one last time before everything "disappears in nothingness" forever.

If you like a bittersweet story, real characters, dont miss this slow burn gem.

To fully comprehend and grasp the dramatic dimensions of this film, I recommend to watch the documentary " the Collector" too, which she made 7 years before this one.