Turkish film critic, festival organiser and one-time producer Ahmet Boyacıoğlu ("Tales of Kars") makes his directorial debut with this heart-felt tribute to his legendary local bar and its elitist denizens, which was screened at the 47th Antalya "Golden Orange" International Film Festival and the 59th Mannheim-Heidelberg Film Festival.
Faruk (Taner Birsel), the worn-out proprietor of Ankara's Siyah Beyaz bar and art gallery for some 24 years, decided to throw in the towel much to the chagrin of regulars Ahmet, an aged communist painter, Muzaffer, a retired lawyer, Ayten, a lonely businesswoman and the disenchanted and recently divorced Doctor in the simple set-up to this multiple character study.
Veteran character actor Tuncel Kurtiz is superb as the fiery 70-year-old revolutionary at the head of a stunning cast, including a po-faced Şevval Sam, a shabby Taner Birsel, a surprisingly slick Nejat İşler and a seemingly slightly miscast Erkan Can as well as Derya Alabora as his long-lost love interest, which only Turkey's most respected cinephile could have drawn together.
The debut director, who can be seen in the background of the bar scenes taking copious notes, is intimately familiar with the people and place of his film and crafts their character arcs with love and humour which manages to break through the sterility of the story-telling to create an authentic portrayal of Ankara's cultural elite.
"We couldn't change the world, but it couldn't change us either."
