Part one of an updated two volume series titled Cinemas of the Other, A Personal Journey with Film-makers from Iran and Turkey explores what it is like to produce movies in two countries where government censorship is driven by politics and religious beliefs. To give readers a firsthand account, author Gönül Dönmez-Colin has included interview transcripts with ten Iranian and eight Turkish directors; what is unique about the collection is that she has made a concerted effort to include the much smaller community of female moviemakers as part of the conversation.
The Intellect Books publication opens with an introduction which explains the social, political, and religious attitudes of both Iran and Turkey so to put their national cinemas in the proper context. Iran is presented in the first section and Turkey in the second. Each filmmaker profile begins with a historical retrospective, followed by a series of Q&A interviews, and concludes with a biography and filmography. Inserted to breakup the text are production stills from the various movies discussed and photographs of the individuals whom Dönmez-Colin has had the opportunity to speak to while attending international film festivals.
Yesim Ustaoğlu, who has directed Turkish movies such as Güneşe Yolculuk (Journey to the Sun, 1999) and Araf (Somewhere in Between, 2012), is quoted as saying, “I do not like to make a distinction such as man-woman or young-old. Everyone exists in the same system. The difference is in the feelings, in being you. Several young women filmmakers have emerged during the last few years, notably three. However, we cannot make a value judgement based on numbers. The quality behind is what counts.”
For those looking to go beyond the Hollywood productions, Cinemas of the Other: A Personal Journey with Film-makers from Iran and Turkey provides an in-depth look into the personal and professional sacrifices and rewards that go into creating movies from around the world.
Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer who currently resides in Canada.
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