Gülizar

The surprising Turkish films in the PÖLP, both last year's 'Hesitation Wound' (2023) and 'Gülizar' (2024), consistently manifest realistic styles along with realistic themes. Both come to an abrupt end, but never in an awful way. The extensive use of natural light makes 'Gülizar' so plain, natural and tangible, which contrasts with the stylised colour grading in 'Hesitation Wound'.

In contrast to the still and tracking shots that make up most of the film, the truck shot of the couple's conversation in a restaurant and the handheld shots that express G's anxiety are particularly effective, revealing a 'talent inside' the temperament of this film.

The fly in the ointment is that the mother-daughter conflict and family pressures hinted at at the beginning, as well as the metaphor of the cow, remain loose ends and lack of demonstration at the end of the film. That is why I personally give it a slightly lower score than 'Hesitation Wound'.