This episode, with the title meaning Small, Big Wounds, is an expose of the fractures in our relationships, whether we are aware of them or not. Yesilcam invites the creation of fake relationships, whether it is for survival or for the socially upwardly mobile, and lays bare the ways bonds of the heart get tested. We get more insight into the bond Semih had with his Uncle Costa, what he shares with Mine, what Mine pursues, and how Tulin thinks she is pursuing her love. Reciprocity seems elusive in Yesilcam, as people chase their vested interests, be it in politics, sexual pursuits, chosen dreams or broken dreams, and a path to happiness. A River Runs Through It We start the episode with the revelation that Semih saved Uncle Costa’s life as opposed to the insinuation thus far that he was responsible for his death. In order to protect Uncle Costa, Semih possibly beats a looter to death, and then carries Uncle Costa all the way to the hospital. An incredibly picturesque but heart-wrenching scene demands the title for this section. War and political tensions benefit a few but adversely affects the masses who had no problems getting along with each other despite differences. The Istanbul Pogrom of 1955, where Turks of Greek descent were persecuted, was politically motivated and was a result of staged events designed to incite such local violence. It was a redirection from deeper economic issues the government should have had better answers for. As Semih carries Costa through the pillaged streets, we see a symbolic red fabric on which he walks. As though it is an artistic portrayal of the river of blood that would have flowed through the streets, while the common folk stood by the sidelines, looking dazed and confused with the aftermath instigated by their fellow countrymen. Paraphrased from Frank Gifford’s words, “in war, there are no winners, only survivors.” Carry on, Mandrake Uncle Costa’s wounds are too lethal for a crowded hospital to help him, but he gives Semih the gift of cinema with his dying breath. Not only did this kindly projectionist instill a love for cinema in Semih, he also hands over his life’s savings to Semih so that he can continue to tell stories, as “Mandrake must live on.” Mandrake, a comic superhero character from the 1930s, was the king of illusions in overcoming his enemies, and his reappearance in various ways in the series showcase the personalities in Yesilcam who are the true magicians. So far, the honor has been bestowed upon Uncle Costa, who introduced Semih to Mandrake, and then Semih, who has Mandrake’s poster in his office, has his own top hat, and has his colleagues marvel at the ways he pulls rabbits out of his hat in his bid to thrive in Yesilcam. The third character to pay homage to Mandrake is Tulin, when she shows up to Semih’s office and dresses up as a magician while waiting for Semih to come back. Subliminally, all three characters seem to be some of the most authentic personalities in Yesilcam, and it is once again a clever choice by the scriptwriters to artfully connect them to this mythical superhero. Smoke & Mirrors While creating ‘illusions’ is the name of the game, we see this in varying degrees across all the characters. We have Semih feeling gratitude about the wealth he received from Uncle Costa but also shame for the secrets he needs to keep hidden. We have Izzet terrorizing Hakan but pretending to be his benefactor by visiting him in the hospital. We have Reha creating problems for Semih’s movie at the censor board, but pretending to be his savior and creating the opportunity to send Semih to Adana. We have Mine back with Semih, adding fuel to his flames of love for her, but lying to Reha until she realizes that his protection over her may be in jeopardy. We have Aysel selling herself to Izzet with the hopes of a secure future, even though her affections lie with Hakan and she knows Izzet may be responsible for Hakan’s beating. We have Tulin who is under the illusion that one needs to stay away from love but who gets swayed by Belkis to find the courage to reach for Semih. And with each illusion, the dice gets thrown on choices each character is forced to make, leading their paths to converge with or diverge away from each other. Yesilcam is anything but authentic, and survival in this world is tested constantly. There are two sides to a coin and everyone wins some and loses some as well. Yilmaz Guney Levent Cantek had mentioned Yilmaz Guney as an inspiration for their story in Yesilcam. Yilmaz was a film director, screenwriter, novelist, and actor, who hailed from Adana. Many of his projects amplified the needs of the ordinary, working class people, and often ran afoul with the reigning government. It is fitting in this episode that Yilmaz comes and congratulates Semih on his new movie, and encourages him to tell stories that are not always about money. Where the message is important. Viewers who may not have known about Yilmaz Guney might have missed the reference, but Yilmaz is shown to be an authentic filmmaker with a conscience. A man who does not have the time for sleazy characters such as the photographer Faik, but who kindheartedly invites Semih to another session together at a later time. It is a beautiful thing when men of honor find and support each other. Maybe the series will show more of such interactions, through real life and fictional characters from Yesilcam. Will Lutfi Akad also make an appearance? A Lasting Love Story Mine has resumed a surreptitious love affair with Semih, who seems to want nothing more than having her back in his life. She remains aloof in public, and eventually tells him that even though she loves him, sometimes love is not enough. She is convinced that she will lose again if they try to get back together. In love, what is loss? If it is unmet expectations, was it love in the first place? On the one hand, Mine says that she loves how Semih looks at her, how he cherishes her, but on the other she has taken his string of failures as a sure sign that he cannot provide for her – in the way she wishes to live. Her ‘survival’ has standards and the love from a passionate but unsuccessful man is not the answer she wants. Leaving Semih broken hearted, Mine leaves his hand yet again. She is driven by an ambition and cannot fully appreciate the strength behind the words Belkis says to Tulin. Which is, “There are men who are not afraid of brave women who can say whatever they want…they would be happy to find someone they could share with. If you find such a man, never let him go” Mine makes a conscious choice to leave a man who treasured her essence, and instead traded him for a man who treats her like a property. We all become the victims of our own choices. It is painful to watch Semih’s pain. As mentioned in the reviews for Episodes 3 & 4, both Mine and his mother rejected Semih because he appears to be an obstacle in the kinds of life they wish to live and the power they wish to possess. We are yet to see much of Tulin and Semih’s interactions but as Semih comes closer to discovering the truth about Mine’s life with Reha, one hopes that Semih finds in Tulin a capable woman who will value him for his essence. Who will be willing to stand next to him, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse. And that Semih also learns that sometimes it is better to settle for simple truths than for more passionate lies. We end the episode on Aysel lying limp behind the steering wheel of a crashed car. Izzet had harshly rejected her after finding her next to Hakan and asked her to leave his life because he was bored with her. We will need to wait until next episode to understand whether it was suicide, murder or a genuine accident. North America TEN’s recent interviews with the scriptwriters Levent Cantek and Volkan Sumbul help greatly to have a deeper appreciation for the various layers they have consciously woven into the narrative. All the characters and their plots are well thought out, and Cagan Irmak’s execution is truly perfect. Set design and costumes certainly capture the spirit of the time, but the tight framing and close ups also make it a visual story where the attention does not get diverted by a world greater than the struggles and challenges of thriving and surviving in Yesilcam. We eagerly await this week’s installment! Article (c) CUNA & @entrespire/ twitter
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Where is Love, Where is BodyIn this episode we get a full frontal introduction into why Semih Ates claims himself to be a “Cinema Hayvani” or a Cinema Animal, which relates to the full title of the series, Yesilcam: A Cinema Animal. As Mr. Cantek tells us in our interview with him last week, he was interested in creating the protagonist as a producer because of all the different personalities and situations he has to successfully navigate within the intersection of competing interests, and we see this as Semih appeases his investor, keeps his author motivated, manages the tantrums from his temperamental actor(s), is the loudest cheearleader for their successes and keeps pushing his team to perform to their best within their constraints. He is a layered man who is haunted by the demons of his past, and these themes are woven into the story ingeniously. Trust Is Earned, Not Given Semih’s plan is to make the socialist story written by Turgut with the money he gets from Izzet, but complete the movie quickly so that he can use the revenues to make the movie Izzet really wants. Izzet is a political animal who is being groomed to rise the ranks in his party, and he understands the value of cinema in swaying public opinion. Using his financial strength as a weapon, he wants to use Semih’s talents to create the stories of his choice. The two men are instinctively distrustful of each other and Semih relies on an actor to take Turgut’s place in a face to face meeting with Izzet. He wants to keep Turgut and his communist beliefs protected from politicians with vested interests, who can either persecute him or exploit him. Izzet comes to understand some of the hidden games, and the plot thickens on how this will impact Semih and the evolving territorial dance among Semih, Izzet and Reha. A Kept Man We get insight into Reha, whose wife comes from money and helped to bankroll his production business. His calculating ruthlessness is as much driven by his need to be top dog as it is to prove to his wife that he is worthy on his own. His dalliance with Mine is an outlet from his loveless marriage. Even though he knows in his heart that Mine loves Semih, it is a power play for him to have Mine at his beck and call. His need to assert his financial prowess, which is something he is unable to do with his financially independent wife, manifests itself into his business practices. He invests in ways he can neutralize the threat from Belkis. Yassiada: A Long Shadow Feeling exposed by Belkis and her knowledge of his affair with Mine, Reha digs into Beliks’ past and discovers that Belkis no longer has the backing of the men in power in the administration. She had been strongly tied with administrators of Adnan Mederes’ government led by the Democrat Party, a bureaucracy that was felled in the military coup of 1960. Adnan, along with several of his cabinet members, were arrested and put on trial in 1961, in Yassiada. Yassiada is one of the Princes’ Islands off Istanbul, and since been renamed to Plati. Reha comes to understand that Belkis is not as formidable as she used to be and, in fact, she escaped her own trial during Yassiada. Not knowing of her connection to Semih, or lacking any information related to her biological family, Reha threatens to make her life miserable if she does not back away from using her knowledge of his affair. We are yet to see how Belkis, a woman who is no stranger to surviving the filth of Istanbul, will react to such threats. What does she have to lose? Semih: A Cinema Animal In an interview with Alex and Zeynep Sutherland, who were involved with the production of The Protector, Zeynep had said “The job of a producer is very well suited to a mother (I have twin boys) as you have to nurture the needs of all the stakeholders on set through good dialogue while setting firm guidelines.” While Semih is not a mother, one can see how he has to actively nurture everyone and be very quick to judge character. He is driven by his goal to make a movie and enlists the available but temperamental Erhan as the lead actor. Cleary not as successful as Ayhan Isik, and with a chip on his shoulder about it, Erhan’s melodramatic turn by Devrim Nas is comic gold. His scenes poke fun at every prima donna in the industry and illustrates how vanity is often the reason for their fall. Semih cleverly and calmly manipulates the situation to make Erhan responsible for his follies, and thus illustrates how good of a manager a producer needs to be. They need to learn to delegate to trusted team members, but at the same time cannot lose sight of the important details on and off set. While Semih gets lost in his pursuits, it becomes obvious how much he still yearns for Mine. With Tulin in the picture, Mine is aware of the danger of Semih finding greener pastures as she has kept herself unavailable, and she starts to openly flirt with Semih while making suggestive statements. And, he is affected. Semih’s partiality towards Mine is not shown in overt ways but in artistic ways befitting the depth of this production. At the end of the shooting for their movie, Semih has a moment with Tulin, where he hands her a single white rose, telling her that hopefully it will be a moment she will remember. He is giving her a token of his appreciation for completing the project, an accolade from an employer to a valued employee. He respects Tulin for her innocent but firm ways, and watches her set her boundaries in a world where sexual favors seem to be expected as a means to move ahead. On the other hand, on the same day, he sends a big bouquet of white roses to Mine for the completion of his first project at Great Ates Film. It is a symbol of his achievement shared with a woman whose good opinion he values. However, as mentioned in my review for episodes 3 & 4, Semih and Mine hide a lot from each other and it remains to be seen if their love is deep enough to forgive all the ways they have betrayed the other’s trust. Will Semih ever be able to see Mine in the same way when he learns of her relationship with Reha? The Past Touches The Future Through several flashbacks, we have been shown about Semih’s shameful involvement in the Istanbul Pogrom and how he might have played a part in the destruction of Uncle Costa, the man who instilled the love for cinema in Semih. In present day, he sees Uncle Costa at every turn, and seeks his approval. With every kind gesture he extends or when he makes decisions out of a true love for cinema, he imagines his Uncle Costa, and imagines his pride in Semih. Through his actions and choices, it seems Semih is on a path of atonement, the depth of which is still unveiling through every episode. We end episode 5 on Semih opening his door to a figure from his past, someone who seems aware of the part Semih played in the Pogrom. What effect it will have upon Semih’s future or how it will shift his position within Yesilcam remains a mystery to be unraveled in later episodes. Production Value It is this quality of exposing a layer at a time that keeps the audience guessing about plot directions, is what makes Yesilcam a masterful production. Cagatay’s acting is great, and Semih provides him a breadth of tools to employ – starting from discerning to profound to heartfelt to mischievous to comic - but the other characters are also played well. Bora Akkas as Hakan is a revelation; he is an impish, competent Casanova with a heart of gold, and to convey all of that through a few select scenes and dialogue is an efficient character development on screen. One cannot help but find him endearing. Afra Saracoglu as Tulin is yet to spread her wings but Selin Sekerci as femme fatale Mine is very well cast. Her external nonchalance and diva-like mannerisms hide a keen mind. During her marriage to Semih, she could not tolerate being second fiddle to his career and leaves him to build her own. Yet, there is a bond that ties them as one as they have both grown up in Yesilcam together. This innate comfort in each other is communicated by glances, a slight nod, a suggestive smile, and Selin as Mine do these very well. There is a wistful expression on her face whenever Semih is around; he is not fully discarded from her life but neither does she see him as the one who can secure her future. I am hopeful that we see Semih truly grow as a person when he understands the fragility of their bond that he believes to be durable. True love does not betray to this depth and in this manner. The trailer for Episode 6 promises more intrigue as Belkis begins to play a more active role in the direction of her son’s life, and Semih has to navigate the resistance to his stories from different quarters. It is wonderful to see this world through a realistic lens of all the ways dreams can be as powerful as they can be tenuous, and how we all chase our dreams with varying levels of abandon, sometimes to our own detriment. I cannot wait until the next installment and derive greater insights into the world of cinema from the Yesilcam era. Article (c) CUNA & @entrespire/ twitter
Please follow CUNA on facebook at: www.facebook.com/cagataynorthamerica and stay away from the fake pages. This is the only page officially affiliated with North America TEN All video clips and photos belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended. Please ask for permission before reprints. #Yesilcam #CagatayUlusoy #LeventCantek #BluTV #BoraAkkas #DevrimNas #SemihAtes #IstanbulPogrom #AyhanIsik #AfraSaracoglu #SelinSekerci #EpisodeReview #TurkishDrama Due to popular demand, BluTV deviated from their plan of releasing one episode a week and delighted the fans with two episodes released on Thursday, April 29, 2021. This is Semih Ates' story and through the prism of his varied experience of growing up in Yesilcam to present day, there is a lot to be seen about Semih, the film industry and society in general. All of this is artfully continued through episodes 3 and 4, respectively titled "Dancing Boy" (Dans Eden Cocuk) and "A September Day" (Bir Eylul Gunun). Plot In episodes 3 & 4, the underlying theme that stands out as we get more insight into the characters are the survival instincts that drive human behavior and choices. The survival instincts of women in a male dominated world, the survival instincts of an orphan as he navigates the trials and tribulations of life on the streets, the survival instincts of businessmen and power mongers, of social factions threatened by the unknown, and more. Individual and collective choices shape the course of lives and society, and Yesilcam is doing a stellar job of casting a lens on different slices of lives affected by the broader social and political movements of the time. In particular, we get multiple perspectives of how lives were affected by the Istanbul pogrom of 1955, a well-orchestrated government supported riots that caused irreversible damage to the local Greek community. As the plot thickens with the revelation of Semih’s history of a father who died early and his mother Belkis, who unbeknownst to him was a prostitute in Istanbul who went on to become the powerful madam of a brothel, we begin to piece together the Semih of today. A man who has paid dues and carries debt he does not feel he can repay. Semih does not wish to entertain his mother’s pleas for a reconciliation as she knocks on death’s doors and, contrary to peer knowledge, Semih did not receive funding for his first film from his mother. Instead, we are given insinuations of unethical means of accumulating the money. We are also introduced to his kind and loving Uncle Costa, who used to be a projector operator at a local theater, and who allows Semih’s love for films to flourish further as symbolically as a single ray of light in an otherwise dark existence. We see Semih and Tulin getting to know each other better (absolutely joyful dance session with the dance instructor played by Ayta Sozeri), and a glimmer of Semih’s appreciation of Tulin’s idealistic yet pragmatic stances in life, her desire to tell a story on the strength of the story and not be focused on the success it will bring her personally, and her willingness to believe the best of Semih and his magical principles. On the flip side, we also see the compromises one is willing to make for survival and sometimes for misguided ideals. None of the characters are pure in their good and evil, and in just four episodes, Yesilcam has managed to grip the imagination with the realities of the era, the influences on stories told (on and off stage) and how that also shapes the mentality of the mob. A lot of the social unrest of the time is shown without handing out a judgement on the merit of the beliefs that guide sympathetic or antagonistic behavior towards each other as the fabric of society changes. Without giving too much away, here are some themes that get amplified as the narrative gets more complex and involved. Crocodile Infested Waters Even though we are given characters such as Semih, Tulin, Hakan, Nebahat who have a relatively clean moral compass and wish to conquer Yesilcam with their talents, hard work and creativity, we are also shown what dangerous waters they are trying to navigate. Yesilcam equates money with power, and power with self-determination. The three powerful figures introduced thus far are Reha Esmer, Izzet Orkan and Belkis Mavi. Reha, played absolutely brilliantly by Yetkin Dikinciler, has a myopic view of the world where he wants to protect his vested interests and fan the fire of his petty war with Semih, who obviously threatens him on many levels. He wants to make movies that sell and make him money, but he is also somewhat blinded by his need to ‘own’ Mine. He is suave, connected and considers himself to be quite the rainmaker in Yesilcam. Izzet (a nuanced interpretation by Ozgur Cevik) is a political animal and wants to make a nationalist statement through the movies. He has money and is fresh off the boat from Hollywood where he learnt about the political and social controls utilized by the film industry. He wants to do the same in Yesilcam, and in the process shut out minority workers from the industry. He slides into BDSM in his private quarters, his nastiness exacerbated by his sociopathic tendencies. And Belkis (veteran actress Gungor Bayrak), Semih’s biological mother, is the queen of secrets. Her Pandora’s box is earned through sexual favors granted to men in power and she is unapologetic for the choices she has made. Belkis has paid with her life and her family to be in her current position, and it is an interesting detail that one of her former lovers is now her caregiver. Belkis is no wall flower and she has learnt how to be the one on top in the gender game. Old & New It is obvious that Semih and Mine share an intertwined history, where she knows who his mother is but doesn’t know the extent of their fractured relationship. To the extent possible, she tries to protect Semih against the known vultures such as Reha and Vebhi, even though she is the one who divorced him. Similarly, Semih also feels something special for Mine as he gets excited about meeting her and puts in the effort to dress up for what he thinks is a surprise rendezvous with her. Their bond is mired in hidden truths from each other, and perhaps both refrain from confronting the reality of what their relationship will be if the secrets were revealed. The reality is that Mine, like Semih’s mother, made the difficult choice to turn away from her love so she could climb to the top in a nasty world. We are yet to see if some of these choices will be forgivable. On the flip side, Tulin is like a breath of fresh air in an industry where it is easy to get jaded. She is pure of heart, selfless, kind, and holds Semih accountable for compromising on his principles when threatened by powerful voices in the industry. One can begin to discern that Semih not only sees Tulin as a powerhouse of talent, but also as someone who is loyal to a fault, an aspect of womanhood he has been deprived of by both his mother and Mine. Perhaps she also inspires him to aspire to a version of himself he can fully accept and be proud of, but these are aspects of their unfolding relationship yet to come. The Magician & Love for Cinema Mandrake the Magician is considered to be the very first comic superhero, developed in 1934. Conceived, written and illustrated by noted comic creator Lee Falk, Mandrake was the king of illusion, using his hypnotic powers (among others) to overcome his adversaries. According to Semih’s Uncle Costa, he stole people’s hearts and bewitched them. Introduction of Mandrake is also mentioned by writer Levent Cantek on his twitter feed during the airing of Yesilcam on Thursday, and this particular addition is noteworthy. Mr. Cantek is a Turkish comic book writer, as well as an accomplished author and scriptwriter. Cleverly weaving in Mandrake into the script, along with integrating the character’s traits into Semih, is a touch of genius. We see Semih in a top hat, Mumtaz Bey alludes to Semih’s abilities to pull a rabbit out of a hat in the game of producing winning cinema, and we see Semih hide a sharp, discerning mind and heart behind his affable, almost comical disposition. Very few people see the real Semih behind the illusions. Mandrake’s poster features prominently in Semih’s office and remains as a reminder of the past that built him. He cannot forget the debts he needs to pay. Social Statements Unlike many shows that whitewashes history to make subtle nationalistic assertions, Yesilcam does not take a favored lens to portray the reality of the time. The historical context is presented factually, taking from widely reported accounts of the times. The Greeks were persecuted, political ideals were divisive, economic struggles were real and led to a growing labor awareness, and intense social change was a constant. With that as a backdrop, looking at grounded people like Nebahat, Tulin and Semih gives insight into how the average citizens, their lives and perceptions were affected. There is a lot more to come on this front. Character Driven Through such in depth look at the characters in artistic ways and elaborate plot schemes, multilayered personalities emerge, demanding all the actors to draw from their breadth of acting tools. And everyone delivers. Credit must go to director Cagan Irmak for drawing out the best from his cast and crew. Cagatay is stunning as Semih Ates. A childlike exuberance for things he loves, layered on top of a discerning mind makes for a man one should not take at face value. Having been forced to grow up alone, he possesses survival skills that rival Mine and Belkis’ but he also has a magnanimous heart that offers refuge to those who trust him. His repressed feelings of abandonment has trigger points, and his escape into cinema as a means to connect with the human soul is well done. If he doesn’t tell stories that touches the heart, he dies. We all pick a legacy we wish to leave in our wake and for Semih, it is the cinema he is able to create. Semih’s joy, compassion, desolation, guilt, loneliness, rage, resolve, determination, opportunism, introspection are all captured well by Cagatay, through subtle expressions and through full body acting where it is needed. We would say this is Cagatay’s most layered role yet, and we now understand why he told GQ that Semih has left a mark on him. The following is a mere sampling of the diversity of emotions Cagatay projects as Semih There is abundant intelligence in the script, to be interpreted at will. The pleasure seeking viewers will appreciate the attention to details for the sets, music and costumes, unparalleled cinematography, and the visually realistic shots of the social milieu of the time. No deeper knowledge of the political context is necessary to appreciate the production value. There is also plenty for the discerning viewer, especially if you have interest in historical context. We fall in the latter category as both Cagatay Ulusoy North America and our flagship organization North America TEN are chartered to bring perspectives on the Turkish actors, entertainment, culture and art to English speakers across the globe, and we like to understand the circumstances that influence character and culture. We will be bringing more to our readers on this in the near future. For now, sharing here an excerpt of a print interview with Afra Saracoglu, who plays the lead role of Tulin Saygi. It gives further insight how much preparation has gone into the characters. We cannot wait until the installment(s) next week! Only on BluTV on Thursdays at 7 pm local Turkish time. Article (c) CUNA & @entrespire/ twitter
Please follow CUNA on facebook at: www.facebook.com/cagataynorthamerica and stay away from the fake pages. This is the only page officially affiliated with North America TEN All video clips and photos belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended. Please ask for permission before reprints. #Yesilcam #CagatayUlusoy #LeventCantek #BluTV #CaganIrmak #GungorBayrak #SemihAtes #IstanbulPogrom #MandrakeTheMagician At the end of a fantastic promotional strategy implemented by BluTV over the past few weeks, the first two episodes of Yesilcam dropped on the platform promptly at 7 pm local Turkish time on April 22. Even though a series for the digital platform, the period piece boasts a rich tapestry of cinematic elements that makes it a visual treat as we get lost in the developing characters. The Story & Characters Semih Ates (Cagatay Ulusoy) is a passionate, creative and upstanding film producer who has recently lost his production company Ates Film to a low life character called Vehbi (Onur Bilge). This fills him with new vigor to produce another film, after a string of box office flops. His office mates at his new company Great Ates Film (Buyuk Ates Film) and supporting team includes womanizing Hakan (Semih's ex-wife Mine's brother, played by Bora Akkas), Mumtaz Bey (Altan Erkekli) who was entrusted with Semih as a teenager, and Nebahat (Nurcan Sirin), the office admin. Semih's ex-wife Mine (Selin Sekerci), with whom the love story is 'complicated' to say the least, is the top billing actress in Yesilcam. She is often paired with Ayhan Isik (a real and famous actor from the Yesilcam era), and Semih knows that with that pair, alongside the famous director Atif Yilmaz (another real life famous personality of the Yesilcam era), Semih can get back into the game with a film, validating his mantra of "I make a film, the sick recovers and the season changes". Detracting his efforts are Reha Esmer (Yetkin Dikinciler), a smooth talking power monger of Yesilcam. He is having a clandestine affair with Mine, and hides his dormant need to dominate Semih, disguising his devious nature under a seemingly benevolent benefactor for Semih, but it is obvious that Semih is aware of the duplicity. He wants to expel Semih from Istanbul and send him off to Adana, perhaps to remove his threat in the film business as well as with Mine, who obviously still carries a torch for Semih, and Semih seems to yearn for her as well. Set within the backdrop of the political unrests of 1964 due to the Cyprus disputes that led to the expulsion of the Greeks from Istanbul, during a time of escalating intolerance for communist beliefs, Semih receives a script called "Two Sisters" from his good friend Turgut (Muhammet Kulu), who is being persecuted for being a communist. Semih falls in love with the script, and simultaneously meets Tulin Saygi, a fresh faced young girl looking to become an actress, and daughter to a social climbing single mother, Adviye (Nilufar Acikalin). He imagines Tulin as one of the leads for the script, with the second sister played by Mine, and signs her on to his company. Tulin has also caught the eye of Izzet Orkan (Ozgur Cevik), a political sympathizer of Adnan Menderes, the Turkish Prime Minister who was tried and hanged after the coup d'etat of 1960. Izzet is recently returned from America and is a sadistic sexual predator who wants to own Tulin. He is also looking to do business with Reha, the two being well matched in their lack of morals. Due to betrayals and politicking behind his back, Vehbi manages to wrest the script away from Semih's company, and Reha manipulates the loss of Tulin in a talent show designed to open doors in Yesilcam for the winner. Through his cleverness, Semih is able to turn the situation around, exposing his optimistic and fair nature, as he tells Tulin that he did it because he didn't want for her to leave. The Review Semih is a man who can discern talent and the soul of a story because of his deep love for cinema and has an admirer in Tulin, who loves Semih's masterpiece "Dovetail Season" (Kirlangic Mevsimi) starring Mine and Ayhan. Depicting a beautiful love story, both Tulin and Semih know the poetic dialogue by heart. "If I wasn't in love with you, my love, then I couldn't even grow up, my love. Falling in love with you was my destiny. Love means to be in love madly but not having each other. It means to be defeated, to be upset and to suffer". It foretells a tragic love story, yet to be seen for which pair within the possible love triangle of Mine, Semih and Tulin. Through such filmic interludes, we get a wonderful character sketch of each of the protagonists, the inner tensions that draw them or repel them to and from each other. With an eye for details, director Cagan Irmak has created visually rich frames that speak its own story, some shots taken from interesting angles almost designed to pique the viewer's interest in the emotions being told by the inanimate objects on screen. In its first two episodes, Yesilcam draws the viewers into the world of cinema from the 1960s. Scriptwriters Levent Centek and Volkan Sumbul have outdone themselves in how they reveal the narrative. Complementing the set design and costumes is the dialogue delivery and language, which seems to have a lyrical tilt that is different from modern day spoken language, paired with staid and stiff sets of gestures that are more archaic than the fluid motions of contemporary societies. Cagatay's Semih Cagatay is fantastic as Semih Ates, showcasing his versatility as an actor once again. Semih is sensual but also energetic, an idealist but also pragmatic, a lover at heart but carries himself with a nonchalance that hides his despair, generous in spirit but steely in his resolve. Within all the contradictions, Semih seems an inspirational character who rouses hope and excellence from those around him, possessing that special magic that threatens the manufactured personas like Reha and Izzet. Cagatay gets to showcase some of his subtle but excellent comic timing, especially in some of the scenes designed to be a bit satirical. He is shown as a guileless character who gets overjoyed with the simplest things, and the scenes between him and Bora are somewhat reminiscent of the camaraderie Cagatay shared with Tamer Olmez in Medcezir. Brothers from a different mother! And as in Medcezir, embedded within some serious themes are threads of comedy that endears the audience to the characters. Fans are rightfully excited about this project and watching Cagatay in this new avatar. In short, Yesilcam is worthy of its hype and we look forward to the unfolding of more layers in the characters and the story. Episode 3 will air on BluTV at 7 pm on April 29, 2021. Article (c) CUNA & mh musings
Follow us on Facebook here and be wary of fake pages All video clips and photos belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended. Please ask for permission before reprints. The highly anticipated series Yesilcam will be coming to BluTV on April 22, 2021. The platform has shared a number of trailers and teasers, and from all accounts, it seems to be an excellent production that not only captures the cinematic glory of the Yesilcam era of Turkish filmmaking, but also showcases the noteworthy filmmakers of today. Cagan Irmak, who is a highly acclaimed director, is no stranger to paying homage to Yesilcam. He is the director of Unutursam Fisilda, a period piece focusing on the careers of musicians of the era. In a recent interview, Cagatay said of Cagan, "“Cagan is a very successful director who really loves his job, knows the period well, knows its textures, knows the lines between the lines, follows life in every aspect. His observation skills are very impressive." The trailers reveal an intricate look at the world of Yesilcam filmmaking of the 60s, the peak of the industry when 200 - 300 movies were produced in a year, often on a shoe string budget. Artistes flocked to support the growth of the industry, often driven more by an entrepreneurial spirit rather than a sure shot at stardom. Cagatay's Semih Ates is a young filmmaker who grew up in Yesilcam. As Cagatay describes in his interview with GQ Turkey, "It's one colorful world where we will watch how Semih Ateş, who was raised in Yeşilçam as a child, is trying to exist as a producer in Yeşilçam as an adult, his relationships, the balance of power and money, the organic and passionate relationships of the characters with one another and the ongoing story in this context. He himself is also the character that I have enjoyed playing the most to this day, the most colorful and the one that left a mark on me." His ex-wife Mine Cansu played by Selin Sekerci is portrayed as a femme fatale who is the darling of Yesilcam. Tulin Saygi, played by Afra Sarracoglu, comes knocking on the doors of Yesilcam, and is seen to be the fresh new talent that turns heads. Semih falls in love with Tulin, presumably during his journey of re-establishing himself in the industry. The following photos were shared by BluTV, that provide a character sketch for the three main protagonists: And all this will take place against the backdrop of the great political, cultural and social changes Turkey experienced between it's two coup d'etats in 1960 and 1980.
As the Yesilcam movies fell off its beloved perch with the advent of modern programming, it is no wonder that there is so much anticipation for this visually and aurally rich production that is now considered a point of local pride. A series about the lost glory of Turkish films, produced by local filmmakers, for a local streaming platform that is spreading its wings at an unprecedented rate! As Semih Ates says, "Why is the cinema beautiful? Because life is a worthless monotony" ... "I make a movie. The sick recover. The season changes." The series will come with English, Spanish and Arabic subtitles, and it may also get licensed by other major platforms such as Netflix. And we all await this glorious experience with much anticipation. Article (c) CUNA Follow us on Facebook here and be wary of fake pages |
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