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CONTEMPORARY TURKISH CINEMA
Vizontele Tuuba
SOLD OUT
2003, 111 minutes, 35 mm, color;
Turkish with English subtitles
Saturday, October 2, 5:00 PM
Tickets: $10 (Adults), $6 (Students/Members/Seniors with valid ID)
Written and directed by Yılmaz
Erdoğan
Cinematography by Uğur İçbak
Editing by Engin Öztürk
Music by Kardeş Türküler
Produced by Necati Akpınar, BKM Film
Featuring Yılmaz Erdoğan, Demet Akbağ, Altan Erkekli, Tarık Akan, Tuba
Ünsal, Tolga Çevik, Şenol Ballı,
İdil Fırat, İclal Aydın
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The sequel to 2001's Vizontele, Vizontele Tuuba takes place in
Southeastern Anatolia, in a small fairy-tale town 'far, far away' from
everything. It is early in the summer of 1980 and the nation is in chaos.
Political violence rules the country and dozens of factions have developed
at both ends of the political spectrum. This incomprehensible and ridiculous,
tragic and comical, "anarchic" atmosphere is reflected on the
town of Vizontele in a unique way. There are no right-wing radicals in
this town. Instead, there are two leftist associations that can't figure
out why they are incompatible. Güner Şernikli, a government official banished
from the big city to this small town, arrives with his family just as
everything starts taking a turn for the absurd. Güner brings with him
the gift of knowledge. As for his daughter Tuba - she brings beauty, innocence
and love. But not everyone appreciates these offerings. Every tragic event
paves the way for something funny; or every funny event gives birth to
tragic results. Many beautiful things came to the town that summer… but
they could not stay for long.
Festivals and Awards
2004 International Istanbul Film Festival
From Atilla Dorsay
Turkey Around the 12th of September
Vizontele Tuuba
The first Vizontele was set during two big events in Turkish history -
the sending of troops to North Cyprus and the introduction of television.
This sequel takes place in a forgotten but sweet, small town in the arid
parts of Anatolia, this time during the 12th of September incident [the
military coup of 1980]. During the tense days of this period, the village
is like a microcosm of the entire country: political polarization, agile
youth discussing the revolution in rooms with posters of Stalin, a confused
bureaucracy, craven labor, decisive soldiers - people whose ideology can
be determined by the political affiliations of the newspaper they read.
"Just to find customers for the library," a TV long ago buried
in the grave of a Cyprus martyr is being removed and put to use again
with the help of the loveable Emin, familiar to viewers of the first movie.
Yılmaz Erdoğan remembers the childhood he spent on the steppes of Anatolia,
and this is the way his plays and films come into being. With the aid
of cinema, he presents a panoramic view of Turkey that is even more effective,
grand and mocking than the ones that appear in his plays. The film is
like a huge 12th of September period tableau painted with a small brush,
one which constantly makes the audience smile. Vizontele Tuuba, a mature
cinematic expression of Erdoğan's bittersweet view of the world, the nation
and a particular period in time, will sometimes make you laugh, and often,
it will make you think.
2004 (Excerpt)
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