Snow and the Bear (2022) User Reviews

An Icey Drama That Slowly Burns.

[interastral · 7/10 · 26 July 2023]

Snow And The Bear is definitely an adult mystery and more of an art film than a run of the mill drama.

It is beautifully shot and has the lonely and cold atmosphere of a snowey mountain range in the middle of nowwhere which perfectly compliments the solemn story that unfolds.

Its ultimately a mystery about the culture of people living outside of modern civilisation and how an outsider comes to know a different type of existence that is more elemental and closer to nature.

This is a film about lonliness, the wilderness, and how human beings relate to and impact the natural world.

It is also a melancholic tale of self discovery.

It is a well paced, finely told mystery drama. It's in Turkish with subtitles, but I didn't mind that. Personally I enjoyed this film and I hope you will too. :-)

Kar ve Ayi

[yusufpiskin · 7/10 · 29 October 2022]

A 2022 drama film starring Merve Dizdar and Saygin Soysal, whose script was written by Yesim Aslan and Selcen Ergun...

With her first feature film, after his short films "Gunesli Bir Gun" and "Karsilasma" Ergun takes a busy and big job, but he manages it successfully.

She does not take refuge in the unwritten rule of 'the first film has no sin' and presents his screenplay to the audience in the desired consistency, with both sound design and cinematography.

Yes, if you want to force it critically, you can find the deficiencies, but at the end of the day, when the last credits start to flow, Ergun tells you his problem...

The production, which will meet with the festival audience in Ankara after Antalya and Istanbul, will hopefully be the first of many films that Ergun will shoot.

The professionalism she showed during the Bosphorus Film Festival and the fact that he did not remain silent in the face of fascists is an indication that we will see Ergun's name among names such as Pelin Esmer and Yesim Ustaoglu in the future.

It is rather a meditative art film than a mystery drama

[k3nyeres · 6/10 · 23 August 2023]

A bear, awakened early from hibernation and hungry, stalks the snow-covered forest of a remote and tiny mountain town. At the same time a young nurse, Asli, arrives in the village to start a new life. This movie has a very unique idea on the relationship between human and nature.

The main character has a man in her way on every turn. The film shows three man figures that are prominently on the list of the most threatening to her independence.

1. Hasan, the local conservative drunk who hates bears at least as much as he hates women 2. Samet, the kind and helpful mountain man, the protector of wildlife, whose obsession with Asli might be as - if not more - dangerous as Hasan's behaviour 3. Asli's father, who doubts and seeks to control her from afar.

The movie beautifully shows Asli's struggles to find her own path through the woods full of dangerous beasts, human and animal.

It is rather an art film than a mystery drama. It rather puts the emphasis on the dynamics of the little town, far from civilisation. Shows the untrusting of the locals to strangers, the hidden tenderness of this society and the overall behaviour norm in such towns: the gossips, the convergence, the excommunication, the family dynamics.

It is also a melancholic tale of self-discovery.

The view and the visual representation is breathtaking. The cinematography is artistic. For me it was even more unique that such a frozen and cold movie takes place in Turkey, which is known as a popular holiday destination to Europeans with its hot summers and sunny beaches. It really did put the country in a new perspective.

I am really fond of folk traditions, religion and superstitions in movies. This film has fortune tellings from tea leaves, sacred tree, lamb sacrifice to God and, most importantly, the belief of that nature takes its revenge.

The figure of the bear is also highly interesting. It appears like a dark, scary shadow, levitating above the head of the village, a never ending threat. Is the bear real or it's just the imagination of the locals?

The title of the movie makes the right order: the snow is the star. The bear, while it does make a brief appearance, is frequently referenced and serves more as an idea or symbol. But the snow covers everything; physically and metaphorically. It covers the roads making the town unreachable but also covers the secrets, crimes and hatred of the townspeople. Snow is the backdrop and is alternatively threatening and protective, a force that can not be controlled. It is beautifully photographed, with infinite colors and textures. The sound of walking on packed snow at night, or the beauty of standing in a gentle snow fall, feel very tangible.

However, it was not the chilly murder mystery i expected and it felt like it is hard for the plot to even begin. So i can tell it is not a rapid and vivid thriller but rather a meditative art film. It also had much more potential, i did not really feel that it is complete.

The ending seemed to be a little unfinished too but i liked the last conversation between Asli and Samet.

Nature did take its revenge. But was it the nature of the world or the nature of man?

breathtaking

[cagrihan16 · 10/10 · 28 December 2022]

A movie that you watched in one breath and stays in your mind for days afterwards.

Strong script, great acting.

Although the story starts with a single girl than it covers a town while taking you to a tour about the behavior of the community.

You feel the cold, you feel the storm, you feel the solitude. You feel the power of a girl with her own ethos and her own manifest to the universe. Movie puts you in a town alone and makes you think about your loneliness.

Again and again strong script, wonderfull wiev, great acting.

Hard to guess if the bear is really exist or is it just your imagination.

A very mediocre film held together by one actor

[Boristhemoggy · 5/10 · 23 June 2023]

A nurse goes to work in a remote Turkish village where a man stalks her and another goes missing.

The story I suppose is okay, it's the slow and ponderous way it is carried out that is not. There's a lot of time nothing is happening but you don't want to fast forward in case you miss something. Also the subtitles were very obviously not an accurate translation so that didn't help.

The lead actress has a very expressive face and did well with the role she had, and indeed there was some decent acting from a few others too. But not near enough to lift the film beyond a rating of 5.

I liked that there wasn't any awful score or crashing soundtrack to the film and the sounds of winter were not overdone.

There's obviously some moral tales woven into this, but they're lost a little by the ponderous pace and slew of non-meaningful scenes.

compelling and moving messages about human attempts to control nature

[Blue-Grotto · 10/10 · 27 September 2022]

A bear, awakened early from hibernation and hungry, stalks the snow-covered forest of a remote and tiny mountain town. At the same time a young nurse, Asli, arrives in the village to start a new life. There is a man in her way at every turn. Three men figure prominently on the list of the most threatening to her independence. Hasan is the conservative town drunk who hates bears almost as much as he hates women. Samet, a kind mountain man and protector of wildlife, is Hasan's opposite. However, in his obsession with Asli he might be the more dangerous of the two men. The third main male obstacle in Asli's life is her father who doubts and seeks to control her from afar. Asli tries to find her own path through the woods full of dangerous beasts, human and animal.

Cut down the sacred tree and spirit of nature, states a Turkish legend, and nature will have its revenge somehow. In this ancient story it is a bear that becomes the agent of vengeance. The bear is what the villagers fear most. Yet there is a wild animal inside each person's heart which is something more potent and formidable.

Director Selcen Ergun's debut feature provides compelling and moving messages about human attempts to control nature, romance, wildlife, and women. "It is how I feel as a woman in the world," Ergun said at the film's world premiere in Toronto. A woman attempting to find her way in a misogynistic world, where even kindhearted and well-meaning men might lead women astray from being who they are. Ambient sounds of wind and crackling fires combine with stirring, sparse music. The ending is profoundly emotional and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Ergun meditates on a time when the winter will cease and the world will just let women and nature be.

A Simple Unnerving Drama

[olcare · 5/10 · 6 June 2023]

While watching the film, nothing really came to mind, and the obvious reason for that was the film's failure to capture tension where it should have been suspenseful. I looked at the screen as if everything was normal, but in situations involving a bear and getting lost, it should have been a bit more thrilling. In the end, our lead character, who is a nurse, finds herself in a tense situation with the doctor being trapped in a winter storm that she knows nothing about. However, the script failed to make us feel that, and I think it ruined the film's potential to be terrifying.

Cinematography and atmosphere were the most redeeming qualities of the film in my opinion. Merve Dizdar did a decent job, and I can't say good or bad things about the other actors because I'm not sure, but I guess they were not bad. As I mentioned in the first paragraph, much more suspenseful scenes would have suited this atmosphere. For example, the search for the missing person could have been shot from a higher angle, accompanied by dark music, to make it much more thrilling. Similarly, if the scenes where our nurse is alone at home were crafted to create a tense atmosphere instead of sorrow, I think it would have been much better.

Nevertheless, it is watchable. I usually try to be constructive when it comes to festival films, but even if the events in this film were everyday occurrences, they felt normal, which I found to be weak. This aspect should have been addressed. I hope such works increase and improve, as I am a strong supporter. The cinematography in our festival films has been really good lately, and it was excellent in this film. Enjoy your viewing.

Fantastic view and Compelling story

[mertkaraibrahimoglu00 · 10/10 · 11 January 2023]

First of all, Artvin, where the movie was shot, is like heaven on earth. In addition, seeing this world wonder once again in the snow allowed me to visit this white paradise again.

Selcen Ergun, which we know from the "Karsilasma (2007)", "Hayat Var(2008-as a Assistant Director)", "Günesli Bir Gün(2011) movies, comes up with an interesting story after a long 11-year hiatus. Merve Dizdar, Saygin Soysal, Asiye Dinçsoy are among the names who that helped Ergun.

A young nurse, who is sent to a far cornet of the country, finds herself in human relations with full of secrets.

This beautiful-compelling movie also took award from the Golden Orange Awards. What Ergun said in the award speech is kind of a light to everyone: "Do not listen to others who said that you can not make it, just stand on your way!"

Snow and the Bear: A Gripping and Atmospheric Drama of Survival and Identity

[ergo-58534 · 10/10 · 13 July 2023]

Snow and the Bear, the first feature film by Turkish writer-director Selcen Ergun, is a captivating and tense drama that follows a young nurse who faces danger and mystery in a remote Turkish village. The film is a compelling exploration of survival, identity, and the relationship between humans and nature.

The film stars Merve Dizdar as Asli, a nurse who arrives in a snowy and isolated village to do her compulsory service. She soon realizes that the village is not as peaceful as it seems, as a man goes missing and rumors of a bear attack circulate. Asli tries to do her job and help the villagers, but she also faces hostility, suspicion, and harassment from some of them. She also develops a complex bond with Samet (Saygin Soysal), a mysterious and charismatic hunter who claims to protect her from the bear.

The film is a well-crafted and immersive thriller, with a stunning cinematography by Nicolas Canniccioni that creates a contrast between the white and cold landscape and the dark and warm interiors. The film's sound design and score by Jakwob also enhance the mood of suspense and emotion. The film's script by Yesim Aslan and Selcen Ergun is well-written, blending drama, mystery, and social commentary to create a gripping narrative that keeps the audience engaged.

The film also features impressive performances by the cast, especially Merve Dizdar as Asli, who portrays her character with strength and vulnerability. Dizdar delivers a nuanced and emotional performance as Asli, who is a brave and compassionate woman who tries to adapt to a hostile environment and find her own identity. Saygin Soysal is also convincing as Samet, who is a complex and ambiguous character who has his own secrets and motives.

Snow and the Bear is a film that offers a thrilling and realistic story of survival and identity in the modern world. It is a film that will appeal to fans of drama, thriller, and adventure genres, but also to anyone who enjoys a good story with strong characters and high stakes.

influential...

[ugietelli · 10/10 · 7 January 2023]

Our paths crossed a little late with this 2022 movie.

For one thing, the hand of the woman touched the screenplay... Acting... The loneliness and tranquility that entered our lives with the pandemic almost became flesh and bone with this movie.. I must confess at first; Because of Merve Dizdar's presence, I discriminated against the film. But when I sat and watched, the script and the direction did not disappoint me. That's why I said afterwards, "I should watch it with my friends once again." I listened to my inner voice, I also made comments for you on this platform.

I am a Cinema-TV graduate. I'm picky when it comes to movies. I like the script. Merve Dizdar played great. The greatness of nature, the loneliness of people and the monotony of the townspeople... Beyond all this, it is a scenario that blends fantasy and reality with the Bear story. I advise.