Takva: A Man's Fear of God

Takva attempts to achieve two things; It is a philosophical drama, and also a quasi-documentary. Putting the main character in a low-profile religious order, and in a ethical conundrum, the movie makers hit two birds with one reel.

Religious orders and their role in the growing politicization of Islam in Turkey is a sensitive subject. The movie refrains from saying much politically, or the characters do not have lines that can be interpreted in such a manner. However, 'Takva the documentary' speaks volumes.

Takva has good actors such as Erkan Can (the lead), a straightforward but engaging story, and a lot to learn from.

... seems to be the question at the heart of this Turkish film about a simple man living a simple life until his world is turned upside down when he is suddenly exposed to the modern world in the service of his religion. Muharrem is at the center of this character study. He is a very nondescript looking man of about 40 who has been in the service of sack dealer Ali Bey and his family since childhood. He is called an apprentice, but he acts basically as a stock boy and runner of errands. He has been stuck at this point since he was a child with no hope of being more than he is, and he seems fine with that. He lives a simple life in simple quarters and rigidly adheres to his religious sect's rules without question.

What changes everything is when the leader of his religious sect selects Muhareem to be the organizer of finances for the group. With absolutely no training in this area and no prior exposure to the modern world and culture, he is thrust into a position of authority wandering about town collecting the sect's rents. When he is handed a cell phone to call Rauf - his superior and adviser - in case he has questions during his rounds, he looks as though he has been handed a piece of biomedical equipment that he must somehow assemble.

Muhareem finds himself morally challenged and psychologically troubled when he is exposed for the first time to power, money, and sex. The power comes in the form of regard that he's never had before from people who have previously treated him as though he was invisible. His new sexual temptations come in the form of things as simple as having to walk past a long line of female mannequins dressed in lingerie on his way to collect some rent moneys. Muhareem has never seen such sights before, and soon he is having disturbing dreams. Also, he begins to see an equally troubling change in his own personality that seems to be required for him to do his new job correctly, but goes against the grain of all he has ever believed to be righteous.

This film is set in Turkey and the sect in question is the Sufi branch of Islam, but it could easily be set anywhere in the world and involve any religion - the themes are universal. Highly recommended.

Saw Takva last night at The Sydney Film Festival 2007, utterly compelling, driven by Erkan Can's fine performance as Muharrem, a devout Muslim in contemporary Istanbul. Previous posts outline more.

I was fascinated by the way Takva engages with contemporary Turkey, a notionally democratic and secular society since the 1920s. Yes, Muharrem has an existential crisis, also familiar to audiences of Shrek 3 in another way ... dare I mention it, by profane comparison.

I suspect Takva has a satirical streak, once you imagine the dervishs's lodge could be the current government of Turkey.

Am I right? Responses from Turkish members most welcome.

This is a rare example of an inner look at the Islamic sects and their organizations. Although the movie is a fiction, at times you may think you are watching a documentary of a Turkish Islamic sect and its rituals.

Tha main character, Muharrem is a devout and simple believer and a follower of the sect. He gets selected by his Efendi (sheikh of the sect) for collecting the rent money of the sect. This purely financial act affects Muharrem morally and psychologically.

Erkan Can plays an excellent Muharrem. Guven Kirac (Rauf the vice sheikh) and Meray Ulgen (the sheikh) are very very believable in their roles.

This probably one of the finest examples of the new Turkish cinema.

It's a good movie to get know a profile of the religious Muslims, to get know "sects" and the amazing, fascinating worship of them. To find answers to the questions like; "how does a sect process and what's happening inside of a sect?". But it doesn't give a political message, a movie that "sit on the fence". But I congratulate the director for at least his bravery to submit these kind of sources and to try to answer some questions or to ask some questions. The main actor Erkan Can has a great performance.

Besides the musics that are made by Replicas, (Gokce Akcelik) are great. Enjoy...