Nuri Bilge Ceylan

746 Words2 Pages

In Nuri Bilge Ceylan's Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, a team composed of a commissioner (YILMAZ ERDOGAN), a doctor (MUHAMMET UZUNER), a prosecutor (TANER BIRSEL) and a several others search the Anatolian steppes for the body of a murder victim. Due to the homogenous landscape, night and them being intoxicated at the time of burial, Suspects Kenan (FIRAT TANIS) and his mentally-challenged brother are unable to give the exact location of the corpse. In their downtime, the team discusses various subjects such as yoghurt, prostate health, their jobs and their family. As the night darkens, as do the men's conversations regarding sin, guilt and death. In the morning, the film solidifies it's grim themes, with one specific one being that children …show more content…

Using rack focus, the plane is clarified and we see three men on the other side of the glass drunkenly conversing. When one of them goes outside to feed a barking dog, Ceylan transitions to a wider shot, presenting a storm brewing over the horizon, indicating something more alarming than a hungry dog is about to transpire. To symbolize the longevity of the investigation Ceylan presents a shot of an apple flowing down a steam, with abrupt stops as it travels through the rocks. Ceylan repeatedly uses wide shots during the investigation, even in times of conflict. For instance, when the prosecutor is standing by himself, his body appears minuscule compared to the vast landscape. This juxtaposition suggests how little the investigation matters. Ceylan also alludes to the investigation's insignificance when the driver, doctor, the prosecutor and one police officers and Kenan are in the car. Since Kenan is in the middle seat, the audience's eyes are initially directed towards Kenan; however, as the scene progresses and the prosecutor talks to his wife on the phone, a low-key lightening on Kennan's face develops providing no visibility of his facial expression. With this divergence of attention Ceylan is suggesting that the murder investigation is inferior to the prosecutor's need for

Open Document