KANTO
KANTO
Performance
In this, his second feature film, Ensar Altay explores universal and, in light ofcurrent demographic trends, increasingly pressing questions about the limits of care-giving: When do family obligations become a burden? Why is this a commitment that continues to be expected primarily of women? What is the relationship between the pressure of expectations and one's own commitment to family cohesion? And what is moral dilemma that awaits if we refuse to live upto expectations?
When mother Saliha realises that she's not entirely welcome in her son's house, she simply runs away and the search for her begins. From this point on, this social drama comes to be interfused with thriller elements whilst, at the same time, husband Ilya finds hisworld-view increasingly haunted by the fear that his family might be labelled dysfunctional by the investigating police. Sude, on the other hand, reacts with pragmatism, sets out in search of the elderly woman and, in the process, grows unexpectedly close to her.
Meanwhile, daughter Elif finds herself reluctantly undergoing a process of detachment from her family: whilst those around her talk of nothing but the mother-in-law, her dream of participating as a singer in the school Kanto club goes largely unnoticed. Kanto, a Turkish style of music that blends Oriental and Western influences and was originally performed during the intermissions of theatrical performances, is today regarded by conservatives as obscene.
In the end, Elif's wish is granted; almost as if by magic. Her grandmother remains missing however. And a rift now runs through the family, delicately crafted by means of the many inconspicuous glances and theintricacies of body language. The result is a truly universal portrait of the elephant in many a family living room: expectations go unstated, questions are rarely asked, and whilst unfulfilled expectations can quickly lead to offence being taken, the road to the right decisions remains long and arduous.
Text: Bernd Buder
Tue 04.11. I 19:00 I WELTSPIEGEL SAAL 3 I original version with English and German subtitles
Wed 05.11. I 12:30 I WELTSPIEGEL GROSSER SAAL I original version with English and German subtitles
Ensar Altay
Kursat Uresin
Yalın Özgencil
Begüm Aydın
Alpay Unyaylar
Didem İnselel, Sinan Albayrak, Yıldız Kültür, Ece Bağcı, Züleyha Yıldız
Freelance, TRT
Ensar Altay - Ensar Altay studied at the London Film Academy. He made television documentaries in various countries for TV channels between 2012 and 2020. His process of concentrating on cinema started with the documentary Kodokushi (2020), which tells the story of lonely deaths in Japan. Kodokushi premiered at the 24th Shanghai Film Festival and was nominated for the Golden Frog Award at the 23rd Camerimage Film Festival. The film won awards at several international festivals and was selected as one of the best films made in Japan by the Japanese Film Association of Singapore in 2020. Kanto is his first fiction feature film.
