Koza

This short film was included on the DVD for Uzak (2002) [aka: Distant], and wisely so. In that film (Uzak) we plainly see the director honor one of his major influences by putting The Mirror (1975) and Stalker (1979) on the TV in a couple of scenes. Seeing Koza (1995) absolutely seals the deal for showing just how much Nuri was influenced by Tarkovsky early in his career. But even though he visually emulates Tarkovsky (and uses the same music) in his earliest film, Nuri cannot help but emphasize the relationships between characters in his own unique way. While Tarkovsky always rode a near mystical connection between characters that often required no words culminating in some cosmic violence; Nuri shows a great gulf between them, a struggle between isolation and the desire to connect, and their near futile efforts to communicate. Certainly recommended for fans of Nuri Bilge Ceylan, but perhaps a delicious footnote - rather than an introduction to his work. (Side note: The one image that stopped me in Koza, involved a kitten that at first appeared to be dead with ants crawling in it's mouth, but upon closer inspection can clearly be seen breathing and is only napping.)