Cinema
Don't Let Them Shoot the Kite
Uçurtmayı Vurmasınlar
Tunç Başaran · 1989
Synopsis
In 1984, in Ankara, a woman is convicted of drug trafficking, and her son Barış, aged five according to Medyascope, follows her into prison, as was the custom at the time. In this women's prison, the child finds company and advice from İnci, a political prisoner. Amid discipline, intrigues and the threat of violence, the woman and the child create a space of their own, which Film at Lincoln Center describes as a tender and affectionate relationship.
Context
The film is based on a 1986 novella by Feride Çiçekoğlu, who wrote it from her four years in prison as a political prisoner after the 1980 coup d'état; she wrote the screenplay with the director. Nur Sürer plays İnci and Ozan Bilen plays Barış. The shoot took place at Ankara Central Prison, according to Medyascope. The film was submitted by Turkey for the Oscar for foreign film, and Mubi presented a restored print in 2024.
Who it is for
In Turkish, one hundred minutes; a cassette in Turkish circulates in France, and a restored print was shown in 2024.
Prizes and reception
Best film, actress, screenplay and cinematography at the 26th Antalya festival, and best Turkish film at the Istanbul festival.