Sivas (2014)

An eleven-year-old boy and a weathered fighting dog develop a strong relationship after the boy finds the dog wounded in a ditch, left to die.

Director:

Kaan Müjdeci

Writer:

Kaan Müjdeci

Stars:

Okan Avci, Cakir, Ezgi Ergin

14 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Okan Avci	...	Teacher
Cakir	...	Sivas
Ezgi Ergin	...	Ayse
Banu Fotocan	...	Mother
Dogan Izci	...	Aslan
Muttalip Mujdeci	...	Village Headman
Hasan Ozdemir	...	Hasan
Furkan Uyar	...	Osman
Hasan Yazilitas	...	Father
Ozan Çelik	...	Sahin (as Ozan Celik)

Storyline

11-year-old Aslan saves an injured Kangal sheepdog named Sivas, a fighting dog that was left for dead after losing a brutal match. He then tries to use Sivas to impress his classmates, in particular the girl he likes, and even sets up an amateur fight with another boy's dog.

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Plot Keywords:

character name as title | child smokes a cigarette | dog | violence | child smoking | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The official submission of Turkey to the Best Foreign Language Film for the 88th Academy Awards (2016).

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Connections

Referenced in Sivas: Yazan ve yöneten Kaan Müjdeci (2014)

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Soundtracks

Ben De Özledim
Music and lyrics by Ferdi Tayfur

User Reviews

A Muddle-Headed Dog Show

This movie could be watched at three times speed and nothing would be missed – even then it stands the chance of boring the discerning viewer with its labored sparse treatment. The script could be read over one cup of coffee but might then put you off your breakfast. How this overrated quickie found its way into festivals tells us much about:- whats being made, the organizers, and their followers. Shoddy hand-held photography is no help (regardless of its so-called 'modernity') it's simply cheaper and faster to work this way.

The director/writer/producer Kaan Mujdeci and his cameraman Armin Dierolf wander aimlessly about the unattractive landscape - following the equally unattractive human elements of the 'plot'. The stories main characters are an 11yr old foulmouthed schoolboy, his foulmouthed pals and his uninteresting foulmouthed family. The unfortunate viewer is expected to follow them as they engage in their soulless plans to participate in as many repugnant, and highly illegal, dog fights as they can hide from the police. There are no high aims here, just low-life humans turning good sheep dogs into their equal within the animal kingdom. The movie claimed no animals were harmed - sparking jeers from many of the educated members of the audience at Venice in '14 but, the jury had already cast their vote beforehand (also quite telling).

Variety's review was reasonably accurate but rather obviously stopped short of being fully honest. If you can tolerate fly-on-the-wall, ultra suspect el cheapies then join the festival crowd and suffer this obnoxious work as it meanders along its inhumane path.

Very little to recommend it. In fact, almost makes you wonder why even make it? - Not a good look for the Doha Institute or the German/Turkish movie industry.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Japan]

Country:

Germany Turkey

Language:

Turkish

Release Date:

31 October 2014 (Turkey)

Also Known As:

Сивас

Filming Locations:

Yozgat, Turkey

Company Credits

Production Co:

Coloured Giraffes

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Color:

Color