Kis Uykusu (2014) Reviews

• Ceylan's Best Film for Several Years Exposes the Superficialities of Modern Life

  l_rawjalaurence2014-06-14

  Set in Cappadochia, central Anatolia, WINTER SLEEP (KIS UYKUSU) focuses on the life of Aydın (Haluk Bilginer) a retired actor who now runs the Hotel Othello. The name is significant, as it reveals his true preoccupation with performance, a trait reinforced by the framed bills on his study wall. With plenty of family money at his disposal he has no need to work, but that does not stop him from screwing every penny out of his tenants with the help of his henchperson Hidayet (Ayberk Pekcan). Although perpetually drawing attention to his poor background and unhappy childhood, it's clear that Aydın's life revolves totally around himself; and that the only way he can salve his conscience is to make charitable donations, preferably anonymously. With KIŞ UYKUSU we are back on thematic territory that director Nuri Bilge Ceylan previously explored in KASABA. He readily acknowledges Chekhov as an inspiration for creating a world where no one has much to do except talk to one another. Aydın busies himself with a variety of tasks, including writing a column for the local newspaper and writing a book on the history of the Turkish theater. His sister Necla (Demet Akbağ) spends much of her time lolling on the sofa and wondering whether she should forgive her ex-husband for an unhappy marriage. Aydın's wife Nihal (Melissa Sözen) is equally indolent; her sole aim in life seems to be to chair a committee of prosperous locals dedicated to raising money for the local school. Stylistically speaking KIŞ UYKUSU is slightly different from Ceylan's earlier work; there are fewer reflective sequences designed to prompt reflection on the landscape and the elements, and more face-to-face confrontations between the protagonists. They emphasize the basic emptiness of their lives, as they have nothing to but talk and talk, in contrast to their tenants - for example the local imam Hamdi (Serhat Kılıç) who wonders about taking a second job so as to make ends meet. On the other hand these lengthy conversations draw attention to the protagonists' love of surfaces; unable (or unwilling) to engage with life's realities, they would rather talk at rather than with one another. The unbelievable landscapes of Cappadochia in winter, with its fairy chimneys and unspoiled Anatolian terrain, offers a point of contrast to the characters' musings. While they spend their time both literally and mentally imprisoned within Aydın's hotel, the landscape offers a reminder of timeless virtues, as well as the fact that nature continues to flourish in spite of humanity's best attempts to destroy it. The film comes to a climactic conclusion when Ceylan brings the indolent characters into contact with those forced to eke out an existence in harsh conditions. Nihal offers a financial gift to Hamdi's family; but fails to understand how such an act of apparent goodwill represents the ultimate insult. As Hamdi's brother İsmail (Nejat İsler) contends, it is nothing more than conscience money to atone for the fact that Aydın's family were responsible for causing İsmail's son Ilyas's (Emirhan Doruktutan's) pneumonia earlier on in the film. Meanwhile Aydın discovers to his cost that the local educator Levent (Nadir Sarıbacak) has a jaundiced view of all wealthy philanthropists. Yet such experiences do not lead to any form of redemption. The film ends with Aydın and Nihal sitting morosely in their deserted hotel, looking out of the window at the snow-covered vista beyond, imprisoned by their lack of perception. This film won the Palme d'Or at Cannes; it deserves every success. A modern classic.

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• remarkable in every aspect

  gerard_chaouat2014-06-17

  I had the chance to see tonight this movie in "Positif" (a french, highly rated, cinema review) "avant Première". When I made the usual reservation for Positif readers/ subscriber, the reservation told me (and it is listed in the invitation) "we remind you that this movie lasts 3h and 16 minutes....". Unusual.... I was aware of that, but , as Michel Ciment pointed out, in his introduction, there are 1h 30 minutes movies which seem to last 4 hours.... and here, "on ne voit pas le temps passer" un-consciously used the title of a song by Jean Ferrat). And, indeed, this is true. Very few "important" events happen in the film, but the degradation of the relation between the two main characters takes place little step by little step, and each dialogue is captivating, while the cast (all the cast) is wonderfully playing. Some scenes are surprising by their underneath violence (how a gift turns out to be an insult , and how the outrage is returned, is a flabbergasting sequence) The location in Anatolia, the winter atmosphere, and the remarkable photography adds a piece of charm to the film. At the end, you will remember that it all started by a little stone thrown at a car.... and wonder how you were so much immediately entrapped by the intrigue, so much that it could have lasted as long as the mother and the whore, another lengthy movie, you would not have complained. I do not want to spoil you by describing the plot, but it brings so many reflections about society, aging of a relationship, and a couple, that ... you will want to see it again (which I will certainly do when it is theater released in August). It is an absolute masterpiece, and likely the best film of the decade......(and of course Ceylon best so fat) Go to see it !

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• A masterpiece from one of the greatest film makers of our time

  Seyirci2014-06-20

  Winter Sleep is a masterpiece by Nuri Bilge Ceylan, a film shining with literary eloquence and incisive social criticism. Aydin ("intellectual" in Turkish) is a failed former actor, now a hotel owner with sufficient inheritance to make him command the stage as a condescending "king" of a village in Cappadocia. He feels licensed to instruct, intrude and judge, not only on his pitiable tenants, but also on his disaffected young wife Nihal and divorced self-doubting sister Necla. This sentiment ostensibly extends to poor, uneducated and religious classes of the country, making Aydin a stereotype of the Turkish elite. The brutal taming of the horse is an allegory of his marriage; young and pretty Nihal is just another decorative item in his life, not an individual with her own rights and pursuits. Aydin also epitomizes a male-dominated society, cutting across levels of education and affluence. A glimmer of hope comes with a stone breaking the glass. While ruthlessly and decisively able to overpower everyone else in his reign, Aydin is disturbingly challenged by a stubborn 10 year-old boy Ilyas (Arabic equivalent of Elijah, a harbinger of the Messiah). Putting the lens on the perpetually pretending psyche of the western-styled intellectual, Winter Sleep portrays the Turkish nation struggling between the East and the West. Aydin claims to have ideals and ideas but has no intention to make a difference for the good, does not even attempt to empathize with his fellow citizens. His articulate quote from Shakespeare echoes a confession. It's no coincidence that Nuri Bilge Ceylan was charmed by Chekhov, a like-minded author from yet another nation torn between civilizations. Hats off to 2014 Palme d'Or judges for their audacity. By recognizing the value of Ceylan's work, they have enticed global audiences to risk 3 hours 16 minutes of their time to a non-commercial film, a feast of cinematography and acting bundled with literary gratification.

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• A rich portrait of interpersonal tensions and emotional sufferings

  hu-zhang2015-01-19

  Mr Nuri Bilge Ceylan had made adventurous efforts in his movie "Winter Sleep". Rewardingly, Palme d'Or Awards was passed onto his hands in 2014. A stunning feature of this movie was the eloquence of major characters. Because of this distinct feature, the audiences need feel comfortable to catch up with a large amount of intellectual debates and accusative questionings between the characters, in order to tap into the characters' inner worlds. During three hours and sixteen minutes, a rich and deep portrait of various emotional sufferings are gradually unfolded. The audiences are exposed to intense conflicts between the rich and the poor, a complacent brother and his critical divorcée sister, an egoistic husband and an unhappy young wife and also a naive philanthropist and a resentful villager. Also, there are explosions and accumulations of negative emotional outbursts such as distrust, prejudice, loneliness, fear, suffocation, delusion, cynicism, hopelessness and hatred. While viewing these interpersonal tensions and emotional despairs, it seems to me that our characters were all wearing shackles which had stopped them from finding their true inner strength. For Aydin, the shackle was his distrust and emotional rigidity. For Necla, it was her disapproving attitude and reluctance to change. For Nihal, it was her pessimistic view of her future. For Hamdi, it was his deeply-rooted shame and hatred towards the rich. For Hamid's little son Ilysa, it was his inability to fight against social unfairness. For Hamdi's bother Ismail, it was his involuntary submissiveness and unresisting. And perhaps due to these emotional scars, they all felt deprived of freedom and thus pushed each other into corners in order to feel justified. Mr Nuri Bilge Ceylan opened an abundance of philosophical discussions in this movie. Seemingly he was unwilling to provide effective solution to ease any of these social and interpersonal tensions depicted in the movie. Nevertheless, Mr Ceylan did examine Aydin's self-revelation after he clashed with his sister Necla and his wife Nihal. When Aydin's false ego was badly stricken, the loneliness and pain in Aydin's heart must have been unbearably agonizing. From that moment, the movie started to openly unveil Aydin's vulnerabilities. He contemplated at his parents' graveyard. His messy hair was flying nowhere in the snow, looking terribly sad. When he showed genuine care to the young motorcyclist, that warmth didn't returned back to him. The releasing of a wild horse back to Anatolia steppe could indicate his longing to loosen his own rigidity and forceful mind. While waiting for his run-away train to Istanbul, he frankly demanded the company of his assistance Hidayet. He paid attention to a dead fox lying beside the rails in the snow and even checked birds of prey on the nearby tree. He watched the dying rabbit pitifully during hunting. At the end of the movie, Aydin admitted to himself that he was unable to live through life without Nihal. At this point, when Aydin acknowledged his emotional vulnerabilities, it appeared that he regained his peace and order, and even kicked off his long-term writing project on "the History of Turkish Theatre". Aydin perhaps realized that he no longer needed to be the superior one who was emotionally distant to people and himself, who felt like a king by being a columnist in his imaged kingdom, who loved his own civilized manner to contrast others'clumsiness, who was relying on rigidity to feel strong… Overall, this is a thought-provoking movie, managed by a master director and performed by impeccable cast. I would love to watch this movie again after a few years, as I wish to comprehend more of its richness and depth when life rewards me with more personal experiences.

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• A Masterpiece

  paulscofield682015-01-25

  Since I saw Uzak (Distant, his first film) years ago and enjoyed it immensely, I've made a point of seeing every film Nuri Bilge Ceylan makes. Unfortunately, his esteem in my mind was gradually fading while others, like the Russian Andrey Zvyagintsev's were rising, his Leviathan is an excellent film. With Winter Sleep, though, Ceylan has made a masterpiece- easily his finest film, and I am in awe of his talent. To make a film that is a character study of a small hotel owner's life at its twilight into such a profound meditation on so many themes...pure genius! And to learn that this movie didn't get nominated for an Academy Award...fortunately the French awarded it top prize at Cannes. It's better than Ida and Leviathan (though Leviathan is a powerful, important film). Extremely well acted; beautifully filmed. The power, though, is in the dialogues...rare the emotional and intellectual intelligence on display here. An absolute must-see for fans of art-house foreign language cinema.

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