Tuncel Kurtiz Movies
The winner of the Best Screenplay award at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, director Fatih Akin's deeply humanistic, multi-layered drama follows the stories of six people -- four Turks and two Germans -- as they realize the meaning of love while facing the harsh realities of the world we live in. Nejat is a second-generation Turkish immigrant living in Germany. His father Ali is a retired widower. When lonely Ali invites pretty prostitute Yeter to move in with him, Nejat makes no attempt to mask his disapproval. Nejat's opinion of Yeter begins to soften a bit, however, when he learns that she regularly sends tuition money to her daughter Ayten in Turkey. Suddenly, Yeter is dead, the unfortunate victim of Ali's violent temper. In the wake of Yeter's death, Nejat is determined to do the right thing for Ayten, and prepares to travel to Turkey to find the girl. But Ayten is a political activist who has recently fled from Turkey to Germany, where she befriended a German student named Lotte. Lotte's conservative mother Susanne isn't comfortable with her daughter's decision to invite a fugitive to live with their family, and when Ayten is arrested by German police and deported back to Turkey, the rebellious daughter rejects her mother and sets out in search of her friend. Later, in Istanbul, Nejat and Lotte are brought together by fate and Susanne is prompted to reexamine her values while searching for her daughter and being confronted with life on the other side. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Baki Davrak, Tuncel Kurtiz, (more)
- 2002
Set in the Harbiye district of Antioch two months before the military intervention in May of 1960, director Semir Aslanyurek's comedy drama studies the economic and political tensions of the time by focusing on a local family's struggle with dissenting beliefs. As Cemal's (Canan Hosgor) father and uncle embark on a series of heated political arguments, their frustrations with one another eventually result in drastic measures. Building a wall in their common courtyard in order to keep their families apart, the two men nevertheless continue their feud by climbing the wall and continuing their arguments. Contrasting the fiery, irrational animosity of the splintered family with the peaceful tradition of local citizens who whisper their dreams to the waterfall of Harbiye, young Cemal accompanies his sister Sehra (Zuhal Tatlicioglu) to the waterfall where they youngsters share their dreams. Serving as an apprentice to local barber Bald Selim (Tuncel Kurtiz), Cemal agrees with Selim that a plan to blast the waterfall with dynamite in order to widen the mouth and build a dam is ludicrous. When the construction results in a substantial amount of the water being lost, Cemal and Sehra fret that they will have nowhere to share their dreams. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hulya Kocyigit, Tuncel Kurtiz, (more)
- 2002
Directed by Carlo Mazzacurati, A Cavallo Della Tigre (Riding the Tiger) is a remake of Luigi Comencini's 1961 film of the same name. It begins in a Milanese parking lot where protagonist Guido (Fabrizio Bentivoglio) falls for Antonella (Paola Cortellesi), who works for a television show. After forming a fast partnership, the two combine wits in order to steal 190,000 dollars in a holdup, but the plan goes horribly askew, and Guido is sent to prison. While in jail, Guido becomes the target of a mean-spirited Turkish convict known among prisoners only as "Tiger" (Tuncel Kurtiz) and his flunkie (Boubker Rafik). When Guido inadvertently finds out about their escape plan, Tiger finds it necessary to have him transferred to his cell, where he can monitor Guido closely enough to ensure that his plans aren't revealed. Due to unforeseen circumstances, however, Guido is forced to escape along with them. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fabrizio Bentivoglio, Tuncel Kurtiz, (more)
- 1999
- NR
In this political drama from Turkey (which was based on an actual incident), Deniz Gezmis (Berhan Simsek) is a political activist who, as a member of a radical group, helps kidnap four American soldiers, releasing them soon afterward. A few hours later, Gezmis and two of his compatriots are arrested, and they stand trial for their actions. While the symbolic kidnapping makes them heroes in the eyes of many, they must pay the ultimate price for their idealistic gesture: Gezmis and the two other students are sentenced to death and soon executed. Hoscakal Yarin/Goodbye Tomorrow was shown as part of the 1999 Istanbul Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Berhan Simsek, Tuncer Necmioglu, (more)
- 1998
Kurdish expert Hiner Saleem (Shero) wrote and directed this French comedy-drama, set inside the 100,000-population Kurdish community in Paris. The original French title translates as "Long Live the Bride...and the Liberation of Kurdistan." Cheto (Georges Corraface) seeks a wife via videotapes while still seeing his French girlfriend, immigration office worker Christine (Stephanie Lagarde). Cheto places an order for a beautiful girl, but he's disappointed when her sister, country girl Mina (Marina Kobakhidze), arrives at the airport as a substitute. Family pressure forces him to marry her. Unhappy with the way she's treated by Cheto, Mina acquires some progressive notions from Leila (Schahla Aalam) and other local feminists, leading to confrontations with Cheto. Shown at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Georges Corraface, Marina Kobakhidze, (more)
- 1997
Fans of Turkish auteur Omere Kavur will be most likely to understand and appreciate this arty and highly symbolic account of Kerem, a traveling clock repairman, and the dark, enigmatic Esra, the owner of the clocktower Kerem is hired to repair. Esra seems to be in permanent mourning over the death of her daughter (oddly, the clock stopped on that very day); she spends her days sitting at a weaving loom and grieving. One day, she risks the wrath of her husband, a hunter, and seduces Kerem. Shortly after sleeping with Esra, Kerem witnesses a lakeside murder. Later the corpse disappears. When Kerem discovers that another clock repairman preceded him and also slept with Esra, he wonders if his life is in jeopardy. This film won the two top awards at the 1997 Istanbul Film Festival, "Best Picture" and "Best Direction." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1997
After bearded Seydo (Tarik Tarcan), leader of Kurdish guerillas, executes a young Kurd because he works at a Turkish prison, Captain Murat (Berhan Simsek) sends soldiers in pursuit of the ragtag rebels. The chase continues into snow-covered mountains where shots start an avalanche. Only three survive, including Seydo and Murat. The two are eventually brought together by the brutal storm conditions, but the tense situation remains. Turkish and Kurdish dialogue. Shown at the 1997 Vancouver Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Berhan Simsek, Tarik Tarcan, (more)
- 1996
Based on a grim true story, this downbeat Turkish drama tells of a popular singer whose ex-husband disfigured her with acid and later, after serving a prison sentence, killed her. Belgin is beautiful, young and blonde. She is first seen belly dancing in a sleazy Istanbul bar while her mother taxi dances nearby. The place is raided and both mother and daughter are squired to jail, but as Belgin is shoved into the police wagon she is seen by the handsome Ali. An influential fellow, he gets Belgin and her mother released. Soon afterward wedding bells ring and Belgin discovers sexual joy with Ali. But while he is a gentle, passionate lover, Ali proves to be a stern husband who disapproves of her dancing. She then becomes a singer. At first she is frightened but her confidence and popularity grows quickly causing Ali to become jealous. He insists she prove her love and stop singing, but she defies him. In anger, Ali hurls acid at her, costing her an eye. He spends four years in prison and while gone, she becomes independent and more interested in punk music. Unfortunately, her newfound self-reliance is not enough to save her. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1990
It is the turn of the century in Russia, and the revolution (at this time not yet a communist one) has sentenced government minister Joel Birkman (Etienne Glaser) to be assassinated for his role in quelling a student rebellion. To that end, they have arranged for one of their number, Jacob (Philip Zanden), to do the deed. In order to get close enough to accomplish this, he takes a job as the minister's secretary, and joins him and his family at his summer home. As he grows acquainted with the man and his family, he discovers that this is not a case of black versus white, but rather of varying shades of gray. Nonetheless, by the end of the film it is clear that no matter how much Jacob likes the man and his family, he is going to do what he believes to be his duty. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Philip Zandén, Etienne Glaser, (more)
- 1990
In the Turkish village he lives in, Orhan, who is a shepherd boy, watches his father killed by a hit-and-run driver whose car has Austrian plates. He hides away in a truck bound for those parts and tracks down the killer. He has somehow gotten hold of a gun, and manages to frighten his father's killer with it. Meanwhile, he has made friends with an Austrian boy, and made a hangout of the kitchen of the night club which his father's killer frequents. After he exacts his nonlethal revenge, he finds another truck headed back to Turkey, and returns to his flocks. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Otto Sander, Dominic Raacke, (more)
- 1989
This international thriller is allegedly based on a true incident in which Israeli secret agents bearing Lebanese passports killed a Moroccan guest worker living in Sweden because they believed he was a Palestinian terrorist. In the story, Hamilton (Stellan Skarsgard), a Swedish naval officer, is recruited by his country's secret service to investigate the suspicious killing of an expert on Middle Eastern affairs. When he discovers that the killer was probably Israeli, he is officially taken off the case. Being a persistent fellow, he refuses to take the hint, and travels to Lebanon to follow up on his leads. This stirs up a real hornets nest, leading to his having a climactic confrontation with Israeli assasins when he gets back home in Sweden. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stellan Skarsgård, Lennart Hjulström, (more)
Director Peter Brook collaborates with writer Jean-Claude Carriére for this screen adaptation of the epic, 100,000-stanza Sanskrit poem tracing mankind's quest for universal truth as explored through the ongoing conflict between two warring families - the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Originally a nine-hour stage production, the lengthy play was pared down to just over five hours for the screen. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Langton-Lloyd, Antonin Stahly-Vishwanadan, (more)
- 1986
Originally titled Hiuch Ha'Gdu, the Israeli-made Smile of the Lamb is set along the battle-torn West Bank. Military governor Makram Khouri tries to flush out some fugitive PLO terrorists by hanging the rotting, stinking carcass of a dead donkey in a village square. Israeli doctor Rami Danon forgets his animosity towards the PLO and, out of compassion, cuts the carcass down. For disobeying Khouri's orders, Danon becomes as much a fugitive as the Palestinians. While in hiding, Danon befriends Arab hermit Tuncel Kurtiz, whose adopted son is a member of the PLO. When the boy is killed, Danon offers himself as a hostage, willing to remain with the hermit until the Israelis leave the West Bank. An international award winner, Smile of the Lamb might very well run into distribution problems in certain politically sensitive areas of the US. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rami Danon, Makram Khouri, (more)
- 1986
This drama concerns the relationship between two brothers, both at first involved in petty crime in one way or another. Kiljan (Joakim Thastrom) is the older of the two siblings who has already changed and is now working at an auto repair shop. His one hope is to steer his younger brother away from a life of crime, and how he goes about it happens quite by accident, literally. He uses an accidental death to get his brother off the hook, though his help may backfire on both of them. Symbolism and animals get a lot of screen play here, though their meaning remains an enigma in many instances. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joakim Thastrom, Peter Stormare, (more)
- 1983
Produced in France, The Wall (aka Le Mur) was the last work of Turkish writer/director/political activist Yilmaz Guney. Like most of his best works (e.g. Yol), Guney based the wall on his own unhappy personal experience in his native country. The principal characters are a group of young disenfranchised orphans, detained in a prison in Ankara. Here the children are regularly brutalized and raped by the guards. The young prisoners ultimately stage an abortive revolt against their tormentors. Cowritten by Guney and Marie-Helene Quinton, The Wall was considered a disappointment by Guney's devotees, but has since been redefined as one of the director's most powerful works. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tuncel Kurtiz, Ayse Emel Mesci, (more)
- 1979
Water rights are an issue in any semi-arid country. In Turkey, they are the focus of this drama, based on a true incident. A new administrator (called a "magistrate") has come to work in a village in Adana, in southern Turkey. The villagers hope that he will take up the cudgels to get them some improved roads and schools; the rich landowners hope that he will enable them to get the water they need to grow more rice. Leaving water stagnant on the fields for long periods benefits more than rice, however, it fosters the breeding of mosquitos. A local doctor points this out to the administrator in time to prevent the extra irrigation, but political pressure from the landowners results in the magistrate being kicked upstairs, leaving the way clear for the landlords to get their way soon. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tarik Akan, Meral Orhonsay, (more)
- 1970
In this bleak tragedy, a crude and illiterate man who drives a horse-drawn taxi survives his meager existence by hoping each day that this will be the day he wins the lottery. One day his coach is hit by a car, killing one of his two horses and damaging the buggy. Because the automobile driver has social standing, the traffic judge rules in favor of the automobile driver, and does not give the poor man any damages. Creditors soon remove everything from his house except the remaining horse and damaged buggy. Despairing, he strikes out at his family and anyone weaker than he is. Eventually, he joins a wandering "holy man" on a quest for desert gold, and goes mad in the process. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yilmaz Güney, Tuncel Kurtiz, (more)
