Winter Sleep

This years Palme d’Or is an epic family drama which takes place in what has to be the most picturesque village in the Anatolian highland. Winter Sleep is far more accessible than Ceylan’s previous work, driven by dialogue, but still retaining the esthetics that have become his trademark. We follow Aydın, a patriarch who writes on his magnum opus about the history of Turkish theatre and runs a small hotel with his wife, Nihal. Conflicts arise and Aydın reveals himself as an authoritarian head of the family who refuses to relinquish his position. Superbly written dialogues and extraordinary acting performances make all of the film’s 196 minutes seem essential. ktk

Editor of Montages, Karsten Meinich will give an introduction to director Nuri Bilge Ceylan before the screening.

Nuri Bilge Ceylan (b. 1959) is Turkey’s most well-known director internationally. Several of his films have premiered in the official competition in Cannes, and he won the award for Best Director at the festival for Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (2011).