“Bir Zamanlar Anadolu’da” journey to the heart of the steppes

Nuri Bilge Ceylan is back at Cannes in Competition with Bir Zamanlar Anadolu’da (Once Upon a Time in Anatolia). The Turkish director, who was a member of the Feature Film Jury in 2009, has, as always, participated at all stages of the making of his new film.

Director, screenwriter, editor and producer, Nuri Bilge Ceylan has once again put all his energies into his new film Bir Zamanlar Anadolu’da (Once Upon a Time in Anatolia). In his latest feature film, he weaves an intrigue focused on the tense relationship between a lawyer and a doctor living in the Anatolian Steppes. The action takes place in Asia Minor, in a volcanic territory bordered by mountain chains. As an admirer of Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni, he has painted the Steppes of the Anatolie region: with the impression that something “new and unexpected” can emerge from behind each mountain, but it’s inevitably the same long and monotonous paths which disappear or carry on, ineluctably the same.

As usual, he uses non-professional actors, Muhammet Uzuner having had his first experience of cinema with the role of the doctor. The director also surrounded himself with friends and family to keep him going during the conception of his film. His wife, Ebru Ceylan worked with him on the script, as in 2006, when she acted in his feature film Climates, selected In Competition. Nuri Bilge Ceylan has had his films presented regularly at Cannes, he received the Grand Prix du Jury for Uzak in 2003 and the Prix de la Mise en Scène for Three Monkeys in 2008.

A.C.

The film is screened at 3pm and 10.30pm in the Grand Théâtre Lumière.