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TURKISH SHORT FILM 'ZIAZAN' OPENS BORDERS
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
May 12 2014
Emrah Guler
Acclaimed actress Derya Durmaz's directorial debut, 'Ziazan,' is a
short film that tells the story of a 4-year-old Armenian girl secretly
traveling across the border to Turkey in her uncle's luggage. The
Hurriyet Daily News talks to the director, writer and co-producer of
this delightful award-winner
Derya Durmaz is both a household name, thanks to her roles in popular
Turkish TV series like "Ihlamurlar Altında" (Under the Linden Trees),
and a name familiar to moviegoers, an actress in such recent films as
Tayfun Pirselimoglu's "Sac" (Hair) and Serkan Acar's "AÅ~_k ve Devrim"
(Love and Revolution).
It was a pleasant surprise for many to hear of her directorial debut
(written and co-produced by Durmaz as well), "Ziazan," which won the
special jury prize earlier in May at the South-East European Film
Festival in Paris, SEE a Paris, where it received its world premiere.
The film also, more recently, won first prize at the Atıf Yılmaz
Short Film Contest.
"Ziazan" takes a delicate political issue and subverts it into a bright
story, a 15-minute journey told through the eyes of a 4-year-old
girl. The political issue is the closed land border between Turkey
and Armenia, and the repercussions of it through the informal luggage
trade between the two countries.
The little hero is the Armenian Ziazan, meaning rainbow, one of the
reasons her little friends taunt her.
Another reason for the little bullies' taunting of Ziazan is the
Cokkolet she's been consuming, the tubes of chocolate that comes as
presents from her uncle during his trips to Turkey for the luggage
trade. "Go get us some more," yells one of the kids when hearing that
the tubes of Cokkolet are finished, the fresh traces still smeared
over little Ziazan's face.
Ziazan's face breaks your heart with the dawn of exclusion from her
friends when they abandon her. The little face soon brightens with
an idea that will surely impress her friends. She quietly empties her
uncle's luggage while he is asleep, and makes herself comfortable in
the luggage, along with a few of her coveted items like a plush toy
in a plastic bag.
>From Armenia-Turkey Cinema Platform to screen
So begins little Ziazan's journey in her uncle's pick-up truck across
the border from Armenia to Turkey, a smile plastered over her face
under the sunlight and the fresh air. The Hurriyet Daily News talked
to Durmaz about her film, the conception of the idea, working with
children, and what the future holds.
Durmaz remembers reading a story in the Daily News about three years
ago on the informal luggage trade between Armenia and Turkey.
"When I pondered over the absurdity of the situation between the two
countries, the story evolved into the story of a little girl," said
Durmaz. "I was shaping the story when I saw a call on the Internet a
project development workshop by the Armenia-Turkey Cinema Platform. I
sent my story, and 'Ziazan' was one of the 10 films selected by
the platform."
The Armenia-Turkey Cinema Platform, kick-started by a collaboration
between Anadolu Kultur, a civil initiative established to foster
mutual dialogue through arts and culture, and the Golden Apricot
Yerevan International Film Festival, has been bringing together young
filmmakers from Turkey and Armenia for dialogue and collaborative
work since 2008. The platform also organizes workshops, provides funds
for films, facilitates opportunities and guides young filmmakers from
both countries for joint productions.
"The workshop in Yerevan both helped me see beyond the border and
contributed a great deal to my film," said Durmaz. "Not only did I have
the chance to work professionally with valuable people from the sector,
but also had the opportunity to [influence] each other's projects,
both from Turkey and Armenia. The platform successfully encourages
collaborative work and joint productions from both countries."
'Ziazan' to make the festival circuit
Durmaz describes working with children as "the most exhilarating and
pleasant experience at the same time." One of the very first pieces
of advice from her friends who studied cinema was that "the first
rule taught in cinema studies is never shoot your first film with
children or animals."
"Not only did I break that cardinal rule, but I had to work with
children whose language I did not speak," said Durmaz. "Even if you
don't speak their language, you can communicate with the basic motive
of playing games. If you can pull them into your game, they give you
their own games in return. Games that surprise and delight you at
the same time."
As for the political theme underlying the film, "the children,
thankfully, were totally unaware." "Their world is not yet blackened
by politics. They don't care where the people they are interacting
with are coming from, whether there is any animosity toward a certain
group of people," said Durmaz. "They either like you or don't. And
if you like them, they happen to like you back."
What's next for "Ziazan?" Where is the film headed to in the near
future? "The film will compete in the Arbil, Festroia [in Portugal]
and the Ankara International Film Festivals, Hamburg's Mo & Friese
Children's Short Film Festival, as well as the Tokyo Kinder Film
Festival," said Durmaz. "Maybe other festivals will be added to
the lineup."
Maybe and hopefully, more moviegoers will have a chance to watch this
delightful message of peace and hope.
May/12/2014
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-short-film-ziazan-opens-borders.aspx?pageID=238&nID=66296&NewsCatID=381
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
May 12 2014
Emrah Guler
Acclaimed actress Derya Durmaz's directorial debut, 'Ziazan,' is a
short film that tells the story of a 4-year-old Armenian girl secretly
traveling across the border to Turkey in her uncle's luggage. The
Hurriyet Daily News talks to the director, writer and co-producer of
this delightful award-winner
Derya Durmaz is both a household name, thanks to her roles in popular
Turkish TV series like "Ihlamurlar Altında" (Under the Linden Trees),
and a name familiar to moviegoers, an actress in such recent films as
Tayfun Pirselimoglu's "Sac" (Hair) and Serkan Acar's "AÅ~_k ve Devrim"
(Love and Revolution).
It was a pleasant surprise for many to hear of her directorial debut
(written and co-produced by Durmaz as well), "Ziazan," which won the
special jury prize earlier in May at the South-East European Film
Festival in Paris, SEE a Paris, where it received its world premiere.
The film also, more recently, won first prize at the Atıf Yılmaz
Short Film Contest.
"Ziazan" takes a delicate political issue and subverts it into a bright
story, a 15-minute journey told through the eyes of a 4-year-old
girl. The political issue is the closed land border between Turkey
and Armenia, and the repercussions of it through the informal luggage
trade between the two countries.
The little hero is the Armenian Ziazan, meaning rainbow, one of the
reasons her little friends taunt her.
Another reason for the little bullies' taunting of Ziazan is the
Cokkolet she's been consuming, the tubes of chocolate that comes as
presents from her uncle during his trips to Turkey for the luggage
trade. "Go get us some more," yells one of the kids when hearing that
the tubes of Cokkolet are finished, the fresh traces still smeared
over little Ziazan's face.
Ziazan's face breaks your heart with the dawn of exclusion from her
friends when they abandon her. The little face soon brightens with
an idea that will surely impress her friends. She quietly empties her
uncle's luggage while he is asleep, and makes herself comfortable in
the luggage, along with a few of her coveted items like a plush toy
in a plastic bag.
>From Armenia-Turkey Cinema Platform to screen
So begins little Ziazan's journey in her uncle's pick-up truck across
the border from Armenia to Turkey, a smile plastered over her face
under the sunlight and the fresh air. The Hurriyet Daily News talked
to Durmaz about her film, the conception of the idea, working with
children, and what the future holds.
Durmaz remembers reading a story in the Daily News about three years
ago on the informal luggage trade between Armenia and Turkey.
"When I pondered over the absurdity of the situation between the two
countries, the story evolved into the story of a little girl," said
Durmaz. "I was shaping the story when I saw a call on the Internet a
project development workshop by the Armenia-Turkey Cinema Platform. I
sent my story, and 'Ziazan' was one of the 10 films selected by
the platform."
The Armenia-Turkey Cinema Platform, kick-started by a collaboration
between Anadolu Kultur, a civil initiative established to foster
mutual dialogue through arts and culture, and the Golden Apricot
Yerevan International Film Festival, has been bringing together young
filmmakers from Turkey and Armenia for dialogue and collaborative
work since 2008. The platform also organizes workshops, provides funds
for films, facilitates opportunities and guides young filmmakers from
both countries for joint productions.
"The workshop in Yerevan both helped me see beyond the border and
contributed a great deal to my film," said Durmaz. "Not only did I have
the chance to work professionally with valuable people from the sector,
but also had the opportunity to [influence] each other's projects,
both from Turkey and Armenia. The platform successfully encourages
collaborative work and joint productions from both countries."
'Ziazan' to make the festival circuit
Durmaz describes working with children as "the most exhilarating and
pleasant experience at the same time." One of the very first pieces
of advice from her friends who studied cinema was that "the first
rule taught in cinema studies is never shoot your first film with
children or animals."
"Not only did I break that cardinal rule, but I had to work with
children whose language I did not speak," said Durmaz. "Even if you
don't speak their language, you can communicate with the basic motive
of playing games. If you can pull them into your game, they give you
their own games in return. Games that surprise and delight you at
the same time."
As for the political theme underlying the film, "the children,
thankfully, were totally unaware." "Their world is not yet blackened
by politics. They don't care where the people they are interacting
with are coming from, whether there is any animosity toward a certain
group of people," said Durmaz. "They either like you or don't. And
if you like them, they happen to like you back."
What's next for "Ziazan?" Where is the film headed to in the near
future? "The film will compete in the Arbil, Festroia [in Portugal]
and the Ankara International Film Festivals, Hamburg's Mo & Friese
Children's Short Film Festival, as well as the Tokyo Kinder Film
Festival," said Durmaz. "Maybe other festivals will be added to
the lineup."
Maybe and hopefully, more moviegoers will have a chance to watch this
delightful message of peace and hope.
May/12/2014
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-short-film-ziazan-opens-borders.aspx?pageID=238&nID=66296&NewsCatID=381