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(out of 5)
The experiences of Turkish immigrants living in Germany has been the subject of a few films in recent years, but none have been quite as memorable, powerful or vivid as this brilliant movie by Fatih Akin. Birol Ünel is marvelous as Cahit, a German Turk who is on a downward spiral of depression and lands himself in a clinic after a suicide attempt. There he meets young Sibel (a fantastic Sibel Kekilli), a Turkish girl who just wants to party non-stop and enjoy lots of sex with young men, but whose religiously conservative Muslim family keeps her so tightly pent up that she has tried the suicide route as well. She meets Cahit and begs him to marry her, promising that she won’t be any more than a good roommate and won’t require anything of him beyond the nuptials. From there begins a fascinating journey into the consequences of misogyny and religious fanaticism, repressing this young woman so much and for so long that it eventually endangers her life. Akin’s direction is spot-on, maintaining the flow of the story and the intensity of the characters throughout, and the beautiful soundtrack (a clever combination of raucous punk and traditional Turkish) accentuates every turn that the plot takes. A European classic for the new millennium, and one of the very best films of its year.
Directed by Fatih Akin
Screenplay by Fatih Akin
Cinematography by Rainer Klausmann
Produced by Andreas Schreitmuller, Stefan Schubert, Ralph Schwingel, Jeanette Wurl
Music by Alexander Hacke, Maceo Parker
Production Design by Tamo Kunz
Costume Design by Katrin Aschendorf
Film Editing by Andrew Bird
Film Festivals: Berlin 2004
Cast Tags: Adam Bousdoukos, Alma Ouglu Sahin, Andreas Thiel, Aysel Iscan, Aytun Ede, Birol Ünel, Cahit Aygüler, Canan Ata, Catrin Striebeck, Cem Akin,Demir Gokgol, Fanfare Ciocarlia, Feridun Koc, Francesco Fiannaca, Güven Kiraç,Hatun Kazci, Hermann Lause, Herr Tekin, Idil Üner, Karin Niwiger, Marco Greiser,Mehmet Kurtulus, Meltem Cumbul, Misra Tomruk,Mona Mur, Monique Akin,Nurcan Esmertürk, Orhan Guner, Philipp Baltus,Ralph Misske, Reinhold Schulz, Selim Erdogan, Selim Sesler,Senol Ugurlu, Sibel Kekilli,Sileyman Kaplan, Stefan Gebelhoff, Tim Seyfi, Tugay Erverdi,Tulga Serim, Yilmaz Canan, Zarah Jane McKenzie
National Society of Film Critics Award
Best Foreign Language Film
Berlin Film Festival Award
Golden Berlin Bear
Independent Spirit Award Nomination
Best Foreign Film
European Film Awards
Best European Film
Audience Award-Best European Director (Fatih Akin)
Nominations
Best European Actor (Birol Unel)
Best European Actress (Sibel Kekilli)
Best European Director (Fatih Akin)
Best European Screenwriter
Audience Award-Best European Actor (Birol Unel)
Goya Award
Best European Film
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