Sceneggiatura, costumi, scenografia / Screenplay, Costume Designer, Set Designer: Aslı Özge Fotografia / Photography: Emre Erkmen Montaggio / Editing: Andreas Samland, Aslı Özge Musica / Music: Karim Sebastian Elias Suono / Sound: Dan Johnson, Joe De-Vine, Mevlüt Ünal Interpreti / Cast: Faruk Özge, Fikret Özge, Derya Erkenci, Nurdan Çakmak, Alibey Güner, Gönül Gezer, Semih Arslanoğlu, Begüm Güzeldoğu Produzione / Produced by: EEE Films Coproduzione / Co-produced by: FC Istanbul, Parallel 45, The Post Republic Distribuzione internazionale / World Sales: Heretic
Faruk, a man in his 90s, becomes the central character of his daughter’s film about the impending demolition of his block of flats in Istanbul. Gradually reality and fiction intertwine and the line between the two starts to blur. Shot in authentic locations and based on real characters and events, the film offers a unique and intimate look at the life of an elderly man in the bustling city of Istanbul exploring not only the implications of gentrification but also the complexities of a fatherdaughter relationship. Faruk had its premiere at the Berlinale 2024, in the “Panorama” section, where it won the FIPRESCI Award.
“The desire to control the natural flow of life. The yearning to reach the reality within fiction … Taking it a step further by intentionally blurring the boundaries between reality and fiction; an effort to subtly shift the audience’s perception. But doing this from a deeply personal, intimate place. Placing the camera ‘inside,’ into a ‘vulnerable’ space. Into one’s own home! And then, sometimes drawing inspiration from real life, and at other times, documenting how real life imitates fiction. Over a period of more than 7 years, Faruk emerged from a space where these ideas clashed in my mind and played out in front of the camera. While opening the doors of my father’s home, who, at the age of over 90, has always approached life with calmness and humor, I portrayed and directed ‘Aslı’ as a character in my films, depicting her struggle for her own future … Throughout the film, naturally, my father aged, and Istanbul transformed. As memories were being erased in front of our eyes, the city took on an entirely new appearance over time.” (A. Özge)
Aslı Özge
Born in Istanbul in 1975, film director Aslı Özge has lived in Berlin since 2000. After studying at the film and television school of Marmara Üniversitesi in Istanbul, she made short films and a documentary. Her debut feature film Men on the Bridge was presented at Locarno and Toronto FF in 2009 and went on to win numerous awards. Her first Germanlanguage feature, All of a Sudden (2016), premiered in the “Panorama” section at the Berlinale, winning a Special Mention from the Europa Cinemas Label. Black Box (2023) won the Best Screenplay Award at the Rome FF.
filmografia scelta / selected filmography
2009 Köprüdekiler (Men on the Bridge); Premi / Awards: Istanbul FF – Miglior film turco dell’anno / Best Turkish Film of the Year 2013 Hayatboyu (Lifelong); Premi / Awards: Istanbul FF – Migliore regia, Migliore fotografia / Best Director, Best Cinematography 2016 Auf Einmal; Premi / Awards: Berlinale – Menzione speciale Europa Cinemas Label / Europa Cinemas Label Special Mention; Istanbul FF – Premio FIPRESCI / FIPRESCI Award 2023 Black Box; Premi / Awards: Roma Festa del Cinema – Miglior sceneggiatura / Rome FF – Best Screenplay 2024 Faruk; Premi / Awards: Berlinale – Premio FIPRESCI / FIPRESCI Award
