Snow and the Bear

Original title: Kar ve Ayi
Genre: Drama
Director: Selcen Ergun
Country: Turkey, Germany, Serbia
Year of production: 2022
Czas: 93 min

Awards and nominations:
2022 Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival: Best First Film, Best Actresses
2022 Bosphorus Film Festival: Best Feature Film, Best Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Editing
 
Huge snow drifts, broken trees blocking the road, and a biting cold. For Asla (awarded role by Merve Dizdar), the main character of a Turkish director Selcen Ergun’s directorial debut, even getting to her new home turns out to be a challenge. The young self-assured nurse has been sent from the capital to a Turkish province to take care of a local community. She shoulders great responsibility since due to the severe never-ending winter the village is literally cut off from the rest of the world. The harsh conditions are nothing compared to the power of patriarchal tradition the community has been following for years. This means it's not only the nurse’s competence that is constantly questioned but also her ability to do anything at all. The situation in the village gets even more tense when a local troublemaker Hasan, with whom Asla has had a few altercations, goes missing. Some are convinced this is a result of a boozy night while others suggest that Hasan might have fallen victim to a bear on the prowl. A psychological drama with a social commentary gradually turns into a suspenseful thriller. Ergun’s debut with its slowly unfolding plot and excellent cinematography by Florent Herry is an insightful metaphor of life in the face of increasing oppression. The film’s relevance is supported by awards at Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival.

Author: Kuba Armata  
 
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Selcen Ergun – a Turkish director born in Ankara. She gained her filmmaking experience making commercials, short films, and documentaries. She worked twice with Reha Erdem as an assistant director. “Snow and the Bear” is her feature directorial debut.