Kis Uykusu (2014)

A hotel owner and landlord in a remote Turkish village deals with conflicts within his family and a tenant behind on his rent.

Director:

Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Writers:

Ebru Ceylan, Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Stars:

Haluk Bilginer, Melisa Sözen, Demet Akbag

16 wins & 28 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Haluk Bilginer	...	Aydin
Melisa Sözen	...	Nihal
Demet Akbag	...	Necla
Ayberk Pekcan	...	Sofor Hidayet (Hidayet the chauffeur)
Serhat Mustafa Kiliç	...	Hamdi (as Serhat Kiliç)
Nejat Isler	...	Ismail
Tamer Levent	...	Suavi
Nadir Saribacak	...	Ogretmen Levent (Levent the teacher)
Mehmet Ali Nuroglu	...	Ogretmen Musterisi Timur (Timur, the teacher guest)
Emirhan Doruktutan	...	Ilyas
Ekrem Ilhan	...	Atci Ekrem
Rabia Özel	...	Fatma
Fatma Deniz Yildiz	...	Sevda
Masaki Murao	...	Japanese Tourist Erkek
Junko Yokomizo	...	Japanese Tourist Kadin

Storyline

Aydin, a former actor, runs a small hotel in central Anatolia with his young wife Nihal with whom he has a stormy relationship and his sister Necla who is suffering from her recent divorce. In winter as the snow begins to fall, the hotel turns into a shelter but also an inescapable place that fuels their animosities...

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Plot Keywords:

throwing a stone at a car | husband wife relationship | written by director | killing a rabbit | burning money | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

Turkey France Germany

Language:

Turkish English

Release Date:

12 June 2014 (Turkey)

Also Known As:

Sueño de invierno

Filming Locations:

Cappadoccia, Turkey

Company Credits

Production Co:

Zeynofilm, Memento Films Production, Bredok Filmproduction

Technical Specs

Runtime:

196 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Turkish director Ceylan is being sued for alleged animal cruelty as one of the horses was tortured during capture. The Law for the Protection of Animals in Turkey stipulates various fines for those who commit animal cruelty. A draft code that was submitted to the Turkish Parliament this month calls for jail time for those who abuse animals.

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Goofs

The books in Aydin's hands change during the argument with his wife.

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Quotes

Necla: Philanthropy isn't tossing a bone to a hungry dog, it's sharing when you are just as hungry.

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Connections

Referenced in Discordia (2016)

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Soundtracks

Sonata in A major D959 - Andantino
Composed by Franz Schubert

User Reviews

Not Resisting Evil

Greetings again from the darkness. Brace yourself for 3 hours and 19 minutes of heavy listening. Yes, the film was named Palme d'Or at the most recent Cannes, and the dialogue is exceptionally well written, but this isn't one you can just kick back and enjoy. It requires some effort. The two big "action" sequences involve a 10 year old boy tossing a rock and later, his too proud father dropping something into a fireplace. The real action occurs between the ears of the viewer as we assimilate the moods and nuances and double-meanings that accompany the stream of conversations.

Award-winning director Nuri Bilge Ceylan co-wrote the script with his wife Ebru Ceylan, and that probably attributes to the sharpness and poignancy of the relationships between Aydin (Haluk Bilginer) and his wife Nihal (Melisa Sozen) and his sister Necla (Demet Akbag). Much of the film is devoted to one of two things: Aydin making himself feel important, or Nihal and/or Necla voicing their opinions on why he isn't. While that may sound simple, the wordplay and grounded performances often leave us with the feeling that we are eavesdropping on very private conversations.

Filmed in the breathtakingly beautiful Cappadocia region of Anatolia, the geological spectrum contrasts mightily with the near claustrophobic interior scenes that dominate the run time. In fact, when one of the characters does venture outdoors, viewers will find themselves breathing easier and in relief of the stressful intimacy of other scenes.

Hotel Othello is cut directly into one of the more picturesque hillsides of the area, and owner Aydin spends his days locked away in his office, kicking off his latest article bashing societal and morality changes within the village. Aydin has a pretty easy life, as he has inherited the hotel and numerous income producing rental properties from his father. Aydin's career as a stage actor also adds a bit to his local celebrity (and ego). He fancies himself an important man with an important voice, and never hesitates to broadcast his charitable offerings.

Aydin lives at the hotel with his much younger wife Nihal, and his recently divorced sister Necla. The dysfunction abounds as none of the three much respect the others, and manage to express this in the most incisive, passive-aggressive ways possible. There are two extended (each pushing 30 minutes) exchanges that are unlike anything you may have ever seen on screen. One has Necla letting Aydin know what she thinks of his articles, while the other has Nihal finally coming clean with her feelings of being held back, emotionally captive. Both scenes are captivating and powerful, yet voices are never raised and facial expressions are crucial. This is intimate filmmaking at its best and most uncomfortable … psychological warfare would not be too extreme as a description.

Conflict is crucial for a dialogue-driven film. Some of the best include My Dinner with Andre, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and 12 Angry Men. These are the type of movies that cause us to study all the subtleties within a scene … not just what is said, but how it is said and how the message is conveyed. Pride, loneliness and despair run rampant through the characters here and the philosophical discussions force each to lay bare their soul.

For so little action, an undercurrent of wild emotions flows through every scene. In addition to the three leads, there is a character named Hamdi (an Islamic teacher/adviser, played by Serhat Mustafa Kilic) who plays the role of peace-keeper and mediator. His constant smile is but a mask he is forced to wear in his role, and I found his character the most painful of all to watch.

The title may be interpreted as either a "hibernation" or "sleep-walking through life's final stages", and both fit very well. The hotel provides a cave-like hiding place for Aydin, as he pretends to play his final role – that of an important man in the village. There are some truly masterful moments in the film, and it's easy to see why it appeals to only a certain type of film goer. Inspired by the short stories of Chekhov (The Wife, Excellent People), as well as the writings of Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, and Voltaire, means the viewer is investing emotionally in characters quite full of resentment and oh so dishonest with themselves. It's an undertaking that is difficult, but does offer the opportunity to test one's listening skills and ability to read body language. It also comes with wisdom such as … Donkeys lead camels (you'll have to watch the movie!).