March 2007 Program March 1–31, 2007

ŞENER ŞEN - YAVUZ TURGUL FILMS
TALK: Şener Şen - Yavuz Turgul
Lovelorn
The Bandit
Shadow Game
The Director of Unforgettable Love Films
Arabesk

FROM THE FAR EAST
The Curse of the Golden Flower

AN INDEPENDENT SPIRIT: MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL
Sherrybaby
Stranger Than Fiction Donnie Darko
Secretary

ANIMATION
Selection from the lnternational Animation Festival

ŞENER ŞEN -YAVUZ TURGUL FILMS
İstanbul Modern Cinema's program of Şener Şen- Yavuz Turgul Films brings together late twentieth-century important and successful works from Turkish cinema. Among the five films, director-actor relationship is observed: from Yavuz Turgul's directorial changes to Şener Şen's acting that has evolved over time. Director Ertem Eğilmez's Arabesk, is a film to explore Şener Şen's acting as well as Yeşilçam's nostalgic values. The films in this program dating from 1988 to present times also magnify popular Turkish culture.

TALK: Şener Şen- Yavuz Turgul
Şener Şen and Yavuz Turgul will be in conversation on 10th March Saturday, following the 14:00 screening of Lovelorn.

LOVELORN / GÖNÜL YARASI
Turkey | 2005, 35mm, Color, 138" | Turkish
Director: Yavuz Turgul
Cast: Şener Şen, Meltem Cumbul, Timuçin Esen, Güven Kıraç, Devin Çınar, Sümer Tilmaç

Elementary school teacher Nazım retires and returns home to lstanbul after 15 years of teaching in Anatolia. He begins to earn money as a taxi driver, while on the job comes across with Dünya. She is a singer who has run away from her husband with her daughter, working at a club. Nazım and Dünya's lives slowly begin to change.

THE BANDIT / EŞKIYA
Turkey | 1996, Betacam, Color, 121' | Turkish
Director: Yavuz Turgul
Cast: Şener Şen, Uğur Yücel, Sermin Şen, Yeşim Salkım, Kamuran Usluer

35 years ago in the Cudi Mountains, a group of bandits were caught by the rural police. Throughout the years, the bandits died either from sickness or from getting-even, except one, Baran. After 35 years coming out of jail, Baran, first returns to his village and draws a path that will change his life forever.

SHADOW GAME / GÖLGE OYUNU
Turkey | 1992, 35mm, Color, 103' | Turkish
Director: Yavuz Turgul
Cast: Şener Şen, Şevket Altuğ, Larissa Litichevskaya, Ülkü Duru, Füreyya Koral

An honest man Mahmut and thief, liar and womanizer Abidin work together at a pavilion. An agent named Sülo brings the boss of the pavilion a girl, Kumru, to work at the place. The film explores two friends' adventures with a mysterious tale of pavilions and back allies of Beyoğlu.

THE DIRECTOR OF UNFORGETTABLE LOVE FILMS / AŞK FİLMLEERİNİN UNUTULMAZ YÖNETMENİ
Turkey | 1990, Betacam, Color, 110' | Turkish
Director: Yavuz Turgul
Cast: Şener Şen, Pıtırcık Akerman, Aytaç Yörükaslan, Yavuzer Çetinkaya, Müjde Ar

Haşmet is bored stiff from directing love films. So he knocks on all doors to persuade his new script as he describes it as "a period film with social content." Finally producer Abdülkadir is induced. Haşmet uses all his means possible to make this film that tells the story of a factory owner and his daughter being kidnapped by a terrorist.

ARABESK
Türkiye | 1988, Betacam, Color, 94' | Turkish
Cast: Şener Şen, Müjde Ar, Uğur Yücel, Necati Bilgiç

Legendary director Ertem Eğilmez creates a satire out of Arabesk as well as referencing to Yeşilçam films. The film tells the tragicomic story of two lovers (Şener Şen and Müjde Ar) who whenever come together, are always separated for a bizarre reason.

FROM THE FAR EAST
THE CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER / MAN CHENG JIN DAI HUANG JIN JIA
Hong Kong, China | 2006, 35mm, Color, 114' | Chinese; Turkish subtitles
Director: Yimou Zhang
Cast: Jay Chou,Yun-Fat Chow, Li Gang, Oin Junjie, Ye Liu

Set in the 10’th century, the film explores the power relationship between King, Queen and their three sons. Betrayal, lies and passion create deception between the King and Queen as well as the King with his sons. This is the most recent visual feast from Yimou Zhang, director of Hero and House of Flying Daggers.

MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL AN INDEPENDENT SPIRIT
Maggie Gyllenhaal is one of the best young actresses of her generation. After winning several breakthrough awards for the film Secretary, she took part in critically acclaimed films. Her latest Sherrbaby has been winning awards at several festivals. Gyllenhaal is a 1999 graduate of Columbia University where she studied Literature.

SHERRYBABY
USA | 2006, 35mm, Color, 96' | English; Turkish subtitles
Cast: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Brad William Henke, Sam Bottoms, Kate Burton, Giancarlo Esposito

Sherry Swanson at 19 was a heroin addict and was in prison for three years for theft. Her only trouble now is how to take care of her daughter who was looked after her brother and husband during her absence. Though she is not prepared for life's realities. Director Laurie Collyer, gol the chance to develop her Sherrybaby project at Sundance and Cannes film Festival workshops.

STRANGER THAN FICTION

USA | 2006, 35mm, Color, 113' | English; Turkish subtitles
Director: Marc Forster
Cast: Will Ferrel, Emma Thompson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Duslin Hoffman, Queen Latifah

After ten years of painstaking work, novelist Karen Eiffel is nearing completion on her latest work, and potentially finest, book. Her only remaining challenge is how to kill off her main character, Harold Crick. Little does she know that Harold Crick is alive and well in the real world, and suddenly aware of her words.

DONNIE DARKO
ABD | 2001, 35mm, Color, 113' | English; Turkish subtitles
Director: Richard Kelly
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malene, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mary McDonnell, Drew Barrymore, Patrick Swayze

Donnie Darko is a young man with a strong character is going through a troubled adolescence. His inner world is complicated. The complications weave through his inner worlds to his outer world. His life drastically changes.

SECRETARY
USA | 2002, 35mm, Color, 104' | English; Turkish subtitles
Director: Steven Shainberg
Cast: James Spader, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jeremy Davies, Lesley Ann Warren

Lee Holloway, applies to E. Edward Grey's law firm to become a secretary. Even though she's had no prior work experience before the lawyer hires her. In the beginning everything seems normal, until a certain time the lawyer and secretary develop a more obscure personal relationship.

ANIMATION SELECTION FROM THE INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
Founded by university students, this festival was established in 2003. The lnternational Animation Festival aims to develop and introduce Turkish animation to the world. This selection will present Turkish and international pieces.