Ferahfeza (2012)

Ferahfeza (2012). 1h 37m

“Shot mostly in and around the port area of the Kadikoy district of Istanbul, FERAHFEZA (Ships) is a poignant tale of Ali (Ugur Uzunel), the errant son of an import/export company owner Raif (Mert Asutay), who dreams of escaping from his humdrum life on a ship. He encounters Eds (M. Sitare Akbas), who is in a similar position, as she resents her errant father returning to the family and being accepted without question by her mother (Sebnem Kostem). The two of them dream of escape, but it does not become a reality until one day when they travel to a lonely industrial landscape and find a wishing-tree. Inspired by this discovery, they plan to board a ship, but find to their cost that events have turned against them.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eShot on a shoestring budget, Elif Refigu0026#39;s film nonetheless has a strong sense of place – the grimy iron factories, the filthy boats, the dodgy deals carried out by Raif in order to survive. In such an environment, everyone simply works to survive, especially Aliu0026#39;s friend Kismet (Huseyin Sevimli). Nonetheless Ali manages to find a refuge high up on a scaffolding structure where he can look out over the sea and dream of what might be.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe action moves slowly, with long shots concentrating on Aliu0026#39;s wistful expression as he tries to make sense of his life. There are several dream-sequences, where he is shown swimming in the sea in pursuit of a ship, symbolically named u0026quot;Vamos,u0026quot; which he hopes will take him to a new life. They are shot in washed-out colors, suggesting perhaps that he doesnu0026#39;t set much store by them.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eRefig contrasts these dreams with some breathtaking photography of Istanbulu0026#39;s winter landscapes, with clear blue skies and the sun setting majestically on the horizon. Such shots promise a better world lurking beyond that of Ali and Eda; they just have to find a way of reaching it. Or maybe they canu0026#39;t; this is why Ali has to be satisfied with his dreams.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFERAHFEZA offers a bleak portrait of life for todayu0026#39;s twenty- somethings, the majority of whom are doomed to lead mundane lives pursuing nine-to-five jobs and respecting their familyu0026#39;s wishes. Their own yearnings are seldom taken into account; their parents just dismiss them either as absurd or unrealistic. They should be u0026quot;gratefulu0026quot; instead for everything that their parents have given them. Such knowledge is part and parcel of Ali and Edau0026#39;s domestic tragedy; it prevents them from pursuing their dreams.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe action might be slow-moving, with shot-compositions owing a lot to New Turkish filmmakers such as Nuri Bilge Ceylan and Semih Kaplanoglu, but we cannot doubt the sincerity of director Elif Refigu0026#39;s purpose. I look forward eagerly to seeing future work by this talented director.”