"COLD OF KALANDAR (KALANDAR SOGUGU) is a monumental work which comes along quietly and discreetly, presenting large images and its own unique slowness, and yet, over the course of more than two hours, generates a gentle momentum that left a lasting impression on the jury. COLD OF KALANDAR depicts the fight for survival in a harsh natural world, the austere beauty of which is captured by the direction and camera in spectacular images in all four seasons. It depicts the largely silent struggle of one man whose story becomes increasingly captivating. This is because the director manages something quite special: despite the seemingly sober and distanced narrative style, he creates an unusual proximity to his hero, and elicits sympathy for this stubborn dreamer who is unwilling to give up and whose stoic persistence pays off in the end in an almost mythical final scene. Mustafa Kara's film pays tribute to unwavering perseverance in times of adversity and, as a metaphor, goes far beyond the bounds of his story. Kara shows poetry and hope in a place of poverty and shines a clear, bright light into the darkest corners of misery, without making it kitsch or letting it descend into misery. You will not find a more beautiful cinematic celebration of life in adversity than this film."
