ANKARA: Fatih Akin’s Film "The Cut" Premiers at Venice Film Festival

Daily Sabah, Turkey
Aug 31 2014

FATIH AKIN’S FILM ‘THE CUT’ PREMIERES AT VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

Daily Sabah
Published : 01.09.2014 02:05:24

ISTANBUL ‘ Born to Turkish parents in Germany, acclaimed director
Fatih Akın presented the world premiere of “Kesik” (The Cut), which is
the final sequel in his “Love, Death and the Devil” trilogy at the
Venice Film Festival yesterday. The 41-year-old director introduced
the first two installments “Duvara KarÃ…?ı” (Head-On) and “YaÃ…?amın
Kıyısında” (The Edge of Heaven), in 2004 and 2007. Produced over eight
years, Akın’s latest film tells the story of an Armenian blacksmith,
Nazarat, played by French-Algerian actor Tahar Rahim, who searches for
his daughters against the backdrop of the mass deaths of Armenians in
1915 during World War I. He travelled around the world from
Mesopotamian deserts to Havana and the desolate regions of America.
Nazarat faces both good and bad-hearted people on his journey.

Last week, Akın gave an exclusive interview to The New York Times
discussing the film. The prominent director described “The Cut” as a
road movie. “The Cut’ is not just a film about the material, it’s
about my personal journey through cinema, and the directors who I
admire and who influence my work,” he said. Akın believes that Turkey
is ready for his film. “Two friends of mine, both producers, read the
script. One of them said they will throw stones, the other said they
will throw flowers […] I’ve shown the film to people who deny the
fact that 1915 was a genocide and to people who accept it and both
groups had the same emotional impact,” he continued.

Akın hopes the film can be seen as a bridge. “The Cut” will make its
European debut on Oct. 16. Previously, the film was attacked on social
media websites by certain circles. The plot is related with the events
considered as genocide by Turks on Armenians, a claim rejected by
Turkey. The Turkish state attributes the deaths to diseases and
isolated attacks by gangs. Back in April, President Recep Tayyip
ErdoÄ?an, who was the prime minister at that time, softened Turkey’s
stance on the issue when he expressed his condolences for the deaths
he called “our shared pain.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

http://www.dailysabah.com/cinema/2014/09/01/fatih-akins-film-the-cut-premieres-at-venice-film-festival

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS