TURKEY/ FRANCE/ ROMANIA
2016 – 1H45 – IN TURKISH
WORLD PREMIERE
Synopsis
A couple in their late 30’s sets out to prepare a fake photo album of a pseudo pregnancy period in order to prove their biological tie to the baby they’re planning to adopt.
Extract
DIRECTOR: Mehmet Can Mertoğlu
PRODUCTION: Yoel Meranda - Eytan İpeker - Cedomir Kolar - Marc Baschet - Danis Tanović - Oana Iancu - Călin Peter Netzer - ARTE France Cinéma
SCENARIO: Mehmet Can Mertoğlu
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Marius Panduru
EDITING: Ayhan Ergürsel - Mehmet Can Mertoğlu
SOUND: Bruno Tarrière
PRODUCTION DESIGN: Meral Efe - Yunus Emre Yurtseven
CAST:
Şebnem Bozoklu
Murat Kılıç
Muttalip Müjdeci
Müfit Kayacan
Zuhal Gencer Erkaya
Rıza Akın
Mihriban Er
Şafak Karali
Binnaz Ekren
 |
Biography
Mehmet Can Mertoğlu
Turkish nationality
Born on August 25th, 1988 in Akhisar (Turkey)
Filmography
2016 ALBÜM
2011 FER S
2008 YOKUŞ S |
PRODUCTION
KAMARA
Yoel Meranda
Tel. +90 532 407 60 47
yoel@kamarafilm.com
CO-PRODUCTION
ASAP FILMS
Cedomir Kolar
Tel. +33 (0)6 77 19 65 06
ckolar@noos.fr
Marc Baschet
mbaschet@noos.fr
PARADA FILM
Oana Iancu, Calin Peter Netzer
Tel. +40 740 30 18 55
oana@paradafilm.ro
ARTE FRANCE CINEMA
Olivier Père
Tel. +33 (0)1 55 00 77 77
DISTRIBUTION
LE PACTE
Xavier Hirigoyen
Tel. +33 (0)6 27 01 73 49
x.hirigoyen@le-pacte.com
SALES
THE MATCH FACTORY
Michael Weber
Tel. +49 221 539 7090
info@matchfactory.de
FRENCH PRESS
Stanislas Baudry
Tel. +33 6 16 76 00 96
sbaudry@madefor.fr
INTERNATIONAL PRESS
Richard Lormand
Tél. +33 (0)6 09 49 79 25
Tél. +33 (0)9 70 44 98 65
intlpress@aol.com
CONTACT CANNES
KAMARA
Yoel Meranda
Tel. +90 532 407 60 47
yoel@kamarafilm.com
What was the starting point of Albüm?
Where does this story come from? I have been interested in historiography for quite some time. Considering the contradictions between official and oral history, I often question the authenticity and the degree of storytelling involved in the historical documents we read. I was tempted to tackle these questions through a couple trying to adopt a child. As photos are a conventional type of documentation of our times, I decided to use this as a basis for the story. I also find it funny as I've been avoiding posing for photos my whole life.
How would you define your film? Would you say it's a political allegory?
I can't say that was the goal, but as it’s set in a country like Turkey with a deep-rooted past and still making headlines on various topics, such associations are perfectly understandable. I see Albüm as the gauche adventure of a dishonest but well-intentioned couple.
We don't usually see parenthood the way you represent it in your film. Is this for you the place of a social violence?
I wouldn't find it appropriate to address parenting issues and widely accepted beliefs on parenting since I'm not a professional in pedagogy. Nevertheless I tried to show that other ways of raising a child exist - despite having some restraints - other than a more or less idealised parenthood in first world countries.
The structure of your film is not traditional at all. Can you tell us more about the narrative and also the editing work?
Fiction can offer more than a simple story and a certain stream of situations. I opted for a more elliptical narrative in this film. Along with revealed information, I also believe in the power and rhythm of plot points or details that are skipped. Shooting with a limited amount of 35mm stock seemed like a constraint at first, but it actually helped me focus on building a rhythm even during the shooting.
Interview by Sandrine Marques
