Propaganda

I have seen Sinan Cetin's "Propaganda" three times. As a Turkish-American, it is very hard to see films like these at times and a number, like Yesim Ustaolgu's "Gunese Yolculuk/Journey to the Sun" and Zeki Demirkubuz's "Itiraf/The Confession," have alluded me. But, "Propganda" is gentle, yet politically sharp fable. Kemal Sunal, a great Turkish comic actor, moves away from the slpastick that made him an idol and gives a very touching performance here. Metin Akpinar, who was part of a famous duo with Zeki Alasya, is also quite good here. The film deals with Turkish-Kurdish problems which a number of dramas like Yilmaz Guney's "Suru/The Herd" (1978) have dealt with in much more direct fashions. But, unlike Guney's films, "Propaganda" is an all too rare positive film about Turkey. The film admits there are problems in Turkey, but it shows that the spirit of the Turkish people can overcome such obstacles. I do admire Guney, Ali Ozgenturk, Serif Goren, and Zeki Okten. They are great Turkish/Kurdish filmmakers who have made some of the best films in Turkish history. But, it is good to see a Turkish film which has hope and resolve in it. I think this is an underrated film, and is worhty of more deserving praise that it seems to have received.

I watched the movie on Cd last night and cannot believe again the poor handling of the topic by the most-pretentious director of Turkey who just happens to be hosting a sopa-opera-style TV show where separated couples are brought together (tears to my eyes...). The director has the notorious background of imitating Hollywood style and making films which do not have the depth a work of cinema should have in order to be considered as a work of art. My criticism for "Eskiya" applies to this movies also: The movie is more a critic of the Turkish bureaucracy rather that a commment on the Southeastern life. The film is quite unrealistic and it seems as if the degree of such an unrealism is the director's struggle to add some comic relief, a funny dimension to the movie. However what happens is a bad mixture of failed surrealism (yes.. remember the barren landscape and Colorado-runaway-plot and pregnant-but-acceptable-girl) with far-fetched social commentary. The film ends with the most ridiculous eway it could do. You cannot help but ask what will happen when they break the border. You do not leave the theatre relieved but rather with a more troubled and worried mind. What's more I guess the performance problems of Kemal Sunal is much more serious that that of the film itself. He seems to have ended his career artistically with this movie ( I do not mention Cumbul and El Roman who even did not start serious artistic careers at all). His acting lacks enthusiasm and is artificial. Do not expect to see the Saban performances. I could go on forever talking about the gaps in the plot, errors in cut and badly done act and cinematography problems. At the bottom this movie is a good example of how you can start with good actors, a good story, a good director of photography, nice setting but end up messing them all. The director Çetin's appearance and his mock-Kurdish speech later mixed with English cuss-words reveal that the movie is not serious at all. Sorry for those who liked it but this is just another Sinan Çetin moviewhich tries to reach fame with a quick gathering of few popular names rather than focusing on the artistic and cinematographic quality.

Based on a true story: in 1948, customs officer Mehdi has to formally set up the border between Turkey and Syria right through his home town. He is unaware of the pain he is about to create as families, languages, cultures and lovers clash and are ripped apart in a nation which feels as ONE. Furthermore, the new border also leads to the separation of Mehdi from his best friend Rahim who is the most important man in town: the only doctor.

This is a great film in its own right. I have seen quite a few Turkish films, and this is certainly one of the best. The dialogue is witty, the story-line touching and the historicity of the film touches an area many of us never think of - the development of borders through the middle east.

You can feel for Medhi as he struggles with the dichotomy he faces, the competing pressures make for both difficult choices and black humour. Though there are laugh out loud moments too.

Turkish cinema can be difficult for many Westerns, but this film is not one of these.

A great film - I promise you will enjoy it.

Well another Box-Office Film in Turkey: Propaganda. I think it was one of the films in which you realise that your work is not always so important as your friends. Especially when it's your friend from your childhood and your son is going to marry his daughter. The movie had sacharastic Fun and some Drama in it which is a mark for Sinan Cetin. Well watch the Movie and see it for your self. I give it a rating of 9 points.