By Asli Saglam, "Zaim promotes Turkish art via his films" - Turkish Daily News - Ankara, Turkey
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Antalya: Derviş Zaim says traditional Turkish art inspires his cinematic productions, many of which have earned awards. This year he brings Turkish calligraphy to the silver screen and his film “Dot” to the 45th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival.
Zaim won the prestigious "Yunus Nadi" literary prize in Turkey with his first novel “Ares in Wonderland” in 1995. A year later, Zaim made an auspicious debut as a feature film director and screenwriter with his film “Somersault in a Coffin,” which received the Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Editing awards at the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival in 1996.
The film also won several prizes at international film festivals, bringing Zaim critical acclaim as a first time director. He repeated his success with his next feature film, “Elephants and Grass,” and then again with “Mud,” which ran in the Counter Currents category of the Venice Film Festival and won the UNESCO Award.
Zaim also shot a documentary titled “Parallel Trips” in 2004 before he started work on a film trilogy. “Waiting for Heaven” was the first in the trilogy, followed by “Dot,” which is currently competing in the National Feature Film Competition at the 45th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival.
Zaim wants to create a different cinema and approach to film. “Turkish culture and history contains interesting motivations within its art. In ‘Waiting for Heaven,' I incorporated traditional miniature painting into the film. The people who watch ‘Dot' will see the art of calligraphy,” said Zaim. “The last film of the trilogy will exploit porcelain and ceramic tile.”
Zaim, who always adds a social dimension to his films, believes that cheap optimism can get people down. “The leading character of Ahmet, played by Mehmet Ali Nuroğlu, aims to be forgiven after facing unfortunate circumstances. Films don't have to have happy endings," said Zaim.
The action starts with a character named Ahmet, a calligraphy artist who decides to help his friend Selim sell a rare and invaluable 13th century Koran owned by his family. However, this decision pushes him into unwanted and unfamiliar territory. The film advances along a trajectory of crime and punishment and organically incorporates the traditional art form of calligraphy.
After Ahmet contacts the local mafia, they kidnap Selim and request the Koran as ransom from Selim's father, leaving Ahmet feeling guilty. After the dust from the shady affair settles, both Selim and the gangsters are dead. Ahmet then tries to track down Selim's family to ask for forgiveness.
The film was shot at Salt Lake, the second largest lake in Turkey and the source of the local salt market.
“The emptiness was a new thing for me. The passage of time shown through filming the connection between the sky and the salt brings a new inspiration to Turkish cinema,” said Zaim, who emphasized that Salt Lake was like an empty piece of paper for him.
Zaim also draws connections between the danger faced by Salt Lake from industrial pollution and the illegitimate use of water, and the danger faced by Ahmet due to his illegal activities.
After reading a lot of history, art, Sufism and philosophy, Zaim shot the movie in 12 days. “I cannot copy and paste the ideas of the thinkers, I want everyone to understand my films. A butcher, a driver and a man in the street should understand the film. What I want to do is to send a clear message,” said Zaim.
Noting his interest in Turkish art started at the same time he was thinking about the creation of distinctive and unique cinema, Zaim said, “I benefit from Turkish culture in generating ideas for my films.”
”Dot” will be one of five films competing at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards on Nov. 11 in Australia.
Who is Derviş Zaim?
Derviş Zaim was born in 1964 in Famagusta, North Cyprus. He graduated from the Economic and Administrative Sciences Department at Bosphorus University in 1988 and also holds a graduate degree in Cultural Studies from the University of Warwick, England. He began work in film in 1991 with the experimental video, “Hang the Camera,” followed by the TV documentary, “Rock Around the Mosque.” Between 1992 and 1995 he worked as a television writer and producer, and directed numerous television shows. “Somersault in a Coffin” was his first feature film.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
“Dot”
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Antalya: Derviş Zaim says traditional Turkish art inspires his cinematic productions, many of which have earned awards. This year he brings Turkish calligraphy to the silver screen and his film “Dot” to the 45th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival.
Zaim won the prestigious "Yunus Nadi" literary prize in Turkey with his first novel “Ares in Wonderland” in 1995. A year later, Zaim made an auspicious debut as a feature film director and screenwriter with his film “Somersault in a Coffin,” which received the Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Editing awards at the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival in 1996.
The film also won several prizes at international film festivals, bringing Zaim critical acclaim as a first time director. He repeated his success with his next feature film, “Elephants and Grass,” and then again with “Mud,” which ran in the Counter Currents category of the Venice Film Festival and won the UNESCO Award.
Zaim also shot a documentary titled “Parallel Trips” in 2004 before he started work on a film trilogy. “Waiting for Heaven” was the first in the trilogy, followed by “Dot,” which is currently competing in the National Feature Film Competition at the 45th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival.
Zaim wants to create a different cinema and approach to film. “Turkish culture and history contains interesting motivations within its art. In ‘Waiting for Heaven,' I incorporated traditional miniature painting into the film. The people who watch ‘Dot' will see the art of calligraphy,” said Zaim. “The last film of the trilogy will exploit porcelain and ceramic tile.”
Zaim, who always adds a social dimension to his films, believes that cheap optimism can get people down. “The leading character of Ahmet, played by Mehmet Ali Nuroğlu, aims to be forgiven after facing unfortunate circumstances. Films don't have to have happy endings," said Zaim.
The action starts with a character named Ahmet, a calligraphy artist who decides to help his friend Selim sell a rare and invaluable 13th century Koran owned by his family. However, this decision pushes him into unwanted and unfamiliar territory. The film advances along a trajectory of crime and punishment and organically incorporates the traditional art form of calligraphy.
After Ahmet contacts the local mafia, they kidnap Selim and request the Koran as ransom from Selim's father, leaving Ahmet feeling guilty. After the dust from the shady affair settles, both Selim and the gangsters are dead. Ahmet then tries to track down Selim's family to ask for forgiveness.
The film was shot at Salt Lake, the second largest lake in Turkey and the source of the local salt market.
“The emptiness was a new thing for me. The passage of time shown through filming the connection between the sky and the salt brings a new inspiration to Turkish cinema,” said Zaim, who emphasized that Salt Lake was like an empty piece of paper for him.
Zaim also draws connections between the danger faced by Salt Lake from industrial pollution and the illegitimate use of water, and the danger faced by Ahmet due to his illegal activities.
After reading a lot of history, art, Sufism and philosophy, Zaim shot the movie in 12 days. “I cannot copy and paste the ideas of the thinkers, I want everyone to understand my films. A butcher, a driver and a man in the street should understand the film. What I want to do is to send a clear message,” said Zaim.
Noting his interest in Turkish art started at the same time he was thinking about the creation of distinctive and unique cinema, Zaim said, “I benefit from Turkish culture in generating ideas for my films.”
”Dot” will be one of five films competing at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards on Nov. 11 in Australia.
Who is Derviş Zaim?
Derviş Zaim was born in 1964 in Famagusta, North Cyprus. He graduated from the Economic and Administrative Sciences Department at Bosphorus University in 1988 and also holds a graduate degree in Cultural Studies from the University of Warwick, England. He began work in film in 1991 with the experimental video, “Hang the Camera,” followed by the TV documentary, “Rock Around the Mosque.” Between 1992 and 1995 he worked as a television writer and producer, and directed numerous television shows. “Somersault in a Coffin” was his first feature film.
Labels:
cinema
By Asli Saglam, "Zaim promotes Turkish art via his films" - Turkish Daily News - Ankara, TurkeySaturday, October 18, 2008
Antalya: Derviş Zaim says traditional Turkish art inspires his cinematic productions, many of which have earned awards. This year he brings Turkish calligraphy to the silver screen and his film “Dot” to the 45th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival.
Zaim won the prestigious "Yunus Nadi" literary prize in Turkey with his first novel “Ares in Wonderland” in 1995. A year later, Zaim made an auspicious debut as a feature film director and screenwriter with his film “Somersault in a Coffin,” which received the Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Editing awards at the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival in 1996.
The film also won several prizes at international film festivals, bringing Zaim critical acclaim as a first time director. He repeated his success with his next feature film, “Elephants and Grass,” and then again with “Mud,” which ran in the Counter Currents category of the Venice Film Festival and won the UNESCO Award.
Zaim also shot a documentary titled “Parallel Trips” in 2004 before he started work on a film trilogy. “Waiting for Heaven” was the first in the trilogy, followed by “Dot,” which is currently competing in the National Feature Film Competition at the 45th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival.
Zaim wants to create a different cinema and approach to film. “Turkish culture and history contains interesting motivations within its art. In ‘Waiting for Heaven,' I incorporated traditional miniature painting into the film. The people who watch ‘Dot' will see the art of calligraphy,” said Zaim. “The last film of the trilogy will exploit porcelain and ceramic tile.”
Zaim, who always adds a social dimension to his films, believes that cheap optimism can get people down. “The leading character of Ahmet, played by Mehmet Ali Nuroğlu, aims to be forgiven after facing unfortunate circumstances. Films don't have to have happy endings," said Zaim.
The action starts with a character named Ahmet, a calligraphy artist who decides to help his friend Selim sell a rare and invaluable 13th century Koran owned by his family. However, this decision pushes him into unwanted and unfamiliar territory. The film advances along a trajectory of crime and punishment and organically incorporates the traditional art form of calligraphy.
After Ahmet contacts the local mafia, they kidnap Selim and request the Koran as ransom from Selim's father, leaving Ahmet feeling guilty. After the dust from the shady affair settles, both Selim and the gangsters are dead. Ahmet then tries to track down Selim's family to ask for forgiveness.
The film was shot at Salt Lake, the second largest lake in Turkey and the source of the local salt market.
“The emptiness was a new thing for me. The passage of time shown through filming the connection between the sky and the salt brings a new inspiration to Turkish cinema,” said Zaim, who emphasized that Salt Lake was like an empty piece of paper for him.
Zaim also draws connections between the danger faced by Salt Lake from industrial pollution and the illegitimate use of water, and the danger faced by Ahmet due to his illegal activities.
After reading a lot of history, art, Sufism and philosophy, Zaim shot the movie in 12 days. “I cannot copy and paste the ideas of the thinkers, I want everyone to understand my films. A butcher, a driver and a man in the street should understand the film. What I want to do is to send a clear message,” said Zaim.
Noting his interest in Turkish art started at the same time he was thinking about the creation of distinctive and unique cinema, Zaim said, “I benefit from Turkish culture in generating ideas for my films.”
”Dot” will be one of five films competing at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards on Nov. 11 in Australia.
Who is Derviş Zaim?
Derviş Zaim was born in 1964 in Famagusta, North Cyprus. He graduated from the Economic and Administrative Sciences Department at Bosphorus University in 1988 and also holds a graduate degree in Cultural Studies from the University of Warwick, England. He began work in film in 1991 with the experimental video, “Hang the Camera,” followed by the TV documentary, “Rock Around the Mosque.” Between 1992 and 1995 he worked as a television writer and producer, and directed numerous television shows. “Somersault in a Coffin” was his first feature film.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment