There's alot of nuances and layers to this film, playing with different genres and themes. And honestly, that's what I love about it. It's explores a variety of topics, yet it all comes together to point to the fundamental issue of the cracks and sinkhole of a society, quite literally, and how the outsider or individual feels the odds stacked against them when power is at play. Even the protagonist, we see him deal with his own internal desires and conflict of trying to do his job and be a figure of authority while also not being able to do much in a corrupt, conservative society. Loved it!!!!
33 Reviews
After a long time, a good Turkish film open to criticism
olcare5 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
After a long time, this was truly the highest quality film I've watched, and it's a film that comes from my country. Despite its flaws, I am satisfied with and support this film because it provides a great example of how references are made and how the overall atmosphere is criticized.
First and foremost, this film can be described as a strong critique. It presents a very transparent example of how society is deceived and positions are shared among a few individuals. It also provides a great example of how a political situation can be dramatized to win an election. Additionally, it critiques the situation of each character, which I believe is very important and valuable. In my opinion, if we criticize things rather than presenting them in a straightforward manner, that's when we truly evolve.
It is commendable that the characters secretly harbor emotions towards each other in terms of their relationships, without explicitly revealing anything. Whether anyone noticed it or not, moments like Zeynep making a move on Emre during a dinner or the details highlighting the repetition of Murat's past, which the main character fails to see, are very precious to me.
The music is fantastic, absolutely amazing. The cinematography is excellent, magnificent. I congratulate Christos Karamanis for his outstanding work in cinematography. I also congratulate director Emin Alper for his efforts and for writing a good screenplay. I won't go into detail about the performances, but Selahattin Pasali was superb, he shone.
I mentioned it in the earlier paragraphs, but I will reiterate. This film shows us how some characters, especially Sahin and Kemal, can be much better than they deserve and how their lives can be manipulated by others. Societally, politically, judicially, and culturally, society regresses due to these buddy-buddy relationships, and this film openly exposes that. In doing so, it creates an extraordinary atmosphere that goes beyond criticism and drama and becomes an excellent thriller.
As for its flaws, I can point out that the ending could have been more interpretable and impactful. However, it still leaves room for interpretation, and that makes me happy. But I believe it's not exactly at the desired level. Additionally, the slightly overlooked and unexplained character backgrounds surprised me. If another ten to fifteen minutes were added, embellished with small flashbacks, the film would have been a 10/10 for me, but unfortunately, these details are missing.
In short, despite some minor shortcomings and an ending that didn't fully meet my expectations (although I appreciate the room for interpretation), this film is technically, in terms of acting, in terms of being critical and delivering it in the right tone, and in terms of being chilling and evoking emotions, a very good film. It deserves more than its rating.
First and foremost, this film can be described as a strong critique. It presents a very transparent example of how society is deceived and positions are shared among a few individuals. It also provides a great example of how a political situation can be dramatized to win an election. Additionally, it critiques the situation of each character, which I believe is very important and valuable. In my opinion, if we criticize things rather than presenting them in a straightforward manner, that's when we truly evolve.
It is commendable that the characters secretly harbor emotions towards each other in terms of their relationships, without explicitly revealing anything. Whether anyone noticed it or not, moments like Zeynep making a move on Emre during a dinner or the details highlighting the repetition of Murat's past, which the main character fails to see, are very precious to me.
The music is fantastic, absolutely amazing. The cinematography is excellent, magnificent. I congratulate Christos Karamanis for his outstanding work in cinematography. I also congratulate director Emin Alper for his efforts and for writing a good screenplay. I won't go into detail about the performances, but Selahattin Pasali was superb, he shone.
I mentioned it in the earlier paragraphs, but I will reiterate. This film shows us how some characters, especially Sahin and Kemal, can be much better than they deserve and how their lives can be manipulated by others. Societally, politically, judicially, and culturally, society regresses due to these buddy-buddy relationships, and this film openly exposes that. In doing so, it creates an extraordinary atmosphere that goes beyond criticism and drama and becomes an excellent thriller.
As for its flaws, I can point out that the ending could have been more interpretable and impactful. However, it still leaves room for interpretation, and that makes me happy. But I believe it's not exactly at the desired level. Additionally, the slightly overlooked and unexplained character backgrounds surprised me. If another ten to fifteen minutes were added, embellished with small flashbacks, the film would have been a 10/10 for me, but unfortunately, these details are missing.
In short, despite some minor shortcomings and an ending that didn't fully meet my expectations (although I appreciate the room for interpretation), this film is technically, in terms of acting, in terms of being critical and delivering it in the right tone, and in terms of being chilling and evoking emotions, a very good film. It deserves more than its rating.
Top notch New Turkish Cinema
bardavidi23 June 2023
Turkiye doesn't shy away from social dramas, but it so rarley and bravely decide to delve in such an explicit way when discussing explosive topics such as homophobia, sexism, xenophobia and corruption.
The cinematography is beautiful, giving enough time to explore the confining atmosphere closing in on Emre. Also, the utelizing of water throughout was done in such a clever way - not only with the intention of allegorical, but also as an agent of action driving the characters to act. It also has some bureaucracy absurdism which lightens the mood, right before thing get serious.
The acting is great and well casted, especially the actor playing Emre really knows how to pace himself emotionally, without falling once into an exaggerated dramatic scene. Turkiye's young generation of actors are gaining a name for themselves and their craft.
The cinematography is beautiful, giving enough time to explore the confining atmosphere closing in on Emre. Also, the utelizing of water throughout was done in such a clever way - not only with the intention of allegorical, but also as an agent of action driving the characters to act. It also has some bureaucracy absurdism which lightens the mood, right before thing get serious.
The acting is great and well casted, especially the actor playing Emre really knows how to pace himself emotionally, without falling once into an exaggerated dramatic scene. Turkiye's young generation of actors are gaining a name for themselves and their craft.
Epic
Viktoriomugnaio9 June 2023
Disturbingly real socio-political analysis of rural areas of central anatolia. It's really well processed and keeps you interested about the plot. A lot of drama emphasising also the corruption within the justice system. No law enforcement officer could actually perform its work under the shadow of politics and manipulated society. The chain of command was also reflected really well considering the judge, prosecutor and police triangle. It's definetly a must watch to understand the situation in Turkey. It's so underrated and should be promoted more. I don't think it gets the credit it deserves in Turkish media.
One of the best Turkish movies made in recent years
Zynprmgns19 December 2022
I entered the cinema with high expectations regarding the movie and I left satisfied. Of course there were some things I found unrealistic and some others were VERY realistic. And not everyone may enjoy the ending but I love that we can discuss and come up with different opinions. I loved the symbolism and the messages it conveyed. The cinematography was superb. I'd call this movie a political thriller with representations of "the other". The other here can be many things, including "women" (vs men), "urban" (vs rural), "queer" (vs cishet), "just" (vs corrupt), "minority" (vs majority). I believe this movie deserves our support. Despite being 2 hours and 9 minutes, it never felt so. I never realized how quickly the time went by. I'm considering a rewatch.
Loses Its Way, Unfortunately
brentsbulletinboard16 October 2022
When an idealistic young prosecutor is assigned to a rural Turkish community to try a criminal case involving serious allegations involving a major infrastructure project, he quickly finds himself in over his head. Circumstances soon place him in a thorny situation where his credibility, objectivity, reputation and personal integrity are all put at risk, jeopardizing not only his handling of the case, but also his career and future. Unfortunately, as generally compelling as the narrative is at the outset, writer-director Emin Alper's overlong saga becomes a little too convoluted for its own good. One can't help but ask, is it a political film? A thriller? A crime story? A crisis of conscience? The film plays like it tries to incorporate some of all of these qualities in an attempt to tell a story that throws curves at viewers to keep them guessing. But the picture seems to lose its way in doing so, not quite sure how to wrap things up, especially when the supposedly astute big city prosecutor comes across as unbelievably naïve and clueless. These failings regrettably undercut the production's fine performances and superb cinematography, qualities that could have helped to make this release a better offering had they been backed by a better story and script. Indeed, in the end, it's the audience that gets burned by this one.
A togetherness of aesthetics and politics
almiramert9 December 2022
Emin Alper's fourth cinematic marvel not only aptly describes the Turkish societal and political contemporary condition in a peculiar cinematographic style, but it beautifully teases that condition. Burning Days is both politically realistic and artistically pleasing. At the end of the film, you remain at your theatre seat with a feeling of being understood, a feeling, which is accompanied by an emotion of a kind of indescribable joy. This is a very clever and striking work of art, which is full of wit, irony, and sarcasm. Scenario is quite impressive with little shortcomings, and cinematography, art direction, and music are particularly strong. And, in terms of casting, Selahattin Pasali and Ekin Koc wonderfully express their characters, while supporting actors are very impressive in their performances (especially Erdem Senocak, who plays Kemal).
We support the movie
kaan2615 December 2022
We support the movie Dry Days, against the scandalous decision. Emin Alper is a very successful director. He excited us all with his films Blockade and Behind the Hill. In this movie; The unbearable difficulty of being an individual in societies where the obedience culture is dominant. We are watching a parody of Turkey through the town. The first half is particularly spooky and exciting. I wish there weren't any forced scenes in the second half. Nevertheless, it is a very valuable film for today's cinema, especially for social sensitivity.
What's in the movie? 1. Sociological structure of eastern societies 2. Why are we a 3rd world country? 3. The sad end of non-individual societies. 4. Mass psychology and bigoted people 5. Generalization of Turkey over the town. 6. Difficulties in town life, depressing atmosphere.
What's in the movie? 1. Sociological structure of eastern societies 2. Why are we a 3rd world country? 3. The sad end of non-individual societies. 4. Mass psychology and bigoted people 5. Generalization of Turkey over the town. 6. Difficulties in town life, depressing atmosphere.
Deserves watching
drfilizyarimcan10 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Before watching the movie, my friends warned me that it was giving its message too much. But I did not feel that way. I felt shocked positively:
-the tension between the prosecutor and Murat (the journalist)--mostly sexual tension
-the pressure inside the prosecutor-the doubt of himself--did I commit the crime or sleep with a man.
I felt the town's atmosphere, and I also felt anxious about the prosecutor. Everyone seems respectful but has no real respect for the prosecutor (symbolizing the justice) and has not shown endless respect to the corrupt governing agencies (representing evil). Although he has the power of the state, he has nothing. Nothing he orders is done.
I felt the town's atmosphere, and I also felt anxious about the prosecutor. Everyone seems respectful but has no real respect for the prosecutor (symbolizing the justice) and has not shown endless respect to the corrupt governing agencies (representing evil). Although he has the power of the state, he has nothing. Nothing he orders is done.
Landscape and Plot Scattered With Giant Holes. 5* out of 10 for the first half
velvet_zoo14 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
It is easy to start telling a story by weaving in all sorts of compelling threads. It is a lot harder to bring those threads to some kind of satisfactory end.
This film starts out interestingly, with the arrival of a public prosecutor in a remote Turkish town punctured by mysterious sink holes, supposedly caused by the abuse of the corrupt mayor's water management.
It appears to be the prosecutor's first assignment. He seems to be arriving from another planet, as he is alien to the type of corruption his country had to endure for decades.
Maybe the director was steering towards making a political film. It is not.
It is no crime story as well. Neither is it a thriller. It might be about a greenhorn prosecutor from the city thrown into the snake pit of law ignoring locals, finding himself between a rock and a hard place. There are a lot of symbolic images, like dead boars being pulled through the street accompanied by illegal gunfire salves and dead rats all over including rat poison in bread boxes.
Many edits seem to be designed to symbolize the main character's confusion. Last but not least there is a thread of the character's sexual confusion. It goes nowhere. The longer the film lasts, the more the film confuses the confusion of the main character with the virtues of clean storytelling.
Somewhere after midpoint, conflicting threads stop making sense. More threads of storytelling are added from there on while existing ones pivot randomly. None of these threads are coming to a conclusion or resonate in a surreal way like films by David Lynch nor others do.
At a certain point two characters try to kill each other in one of the lakes. This is in a region where we have learned that the main problem is lack of water. It is not clear why they want to kill each other. In the next scene they drive down a road peacefully like best friends, without further ado.
I cannot imagine this was in the script. A lot of people are financing a film or working on a movie. Someone most have said something like: "Why do they do this?" I also would have liked to know because i really liked the beginning and I got pulled into what seemed to be a great story.
The only explanation I could come up with was that I did not see a final version or a version that was approved by the producers. The copy of the film I saw might have been somehow fragmented, missing some vital scenes here and there. Maybe what I saw was a movie fragment where scenes having been omitted without the director's or the producer's knowledge. The full film could have been a 10.
This film starts out interestingly, with the arrival of a public prosecutor in a remote Turkish town punctured by mysterious sink holes, supposedly caused by the abuse of the corrupt mayor's water management.
It appears to be the prosecutor's first assignment. He seems to be arriving from another planet, as he is alien to the type of corruption his country had to endure for decades.
Maybe the director was steering towards making a political film. It is not.
It is no crime story as well. Neither is it a thriller. It might be about a greenhorn prosecutor from the city thrown into the snake pit of law ignoring locals, finding himself between a rock and a hard place. There are a lot of symbolic images, like dead boars being pulled through the street accompanied by illegal gunfire salves and dead rats all over including rat poison in bread boxes.
Many edits seem to be designed to symbolize the main character's confusion. Last but not least there is a thread of the character's sexual confusion. It goes nowhere. The longer the film lasts, the more the film confuses the confusion of the main character with the virtues of clean storytelling.
Somewhere after midpoint, conflicting threads stop making sense. More threads of storytelling are added from there on while existing ones pivot randomly. None of these threads are coming to a conclusion or resonate in a surreal way like films by David Lynch nor others do.
At a certain point two characters try to kill each other in one of the lakes. This is in a region where we have learned that the main problem is lack of water. It is not clear why they want to kill each other. In the next scene they drive down a road peacefully like best friends, without further ado.
I cannot imagine this was in the script. A lot of people are financing a film or working on a movie. Someone most have said something like: "Why do they do this?" I also would have liked to know because i really liked the beginning and I got pulled into what seemed to be a great story.
The only explanation I could come up with was that I did not see a final version or a version that was approved by the producers. The copy of the film I saw might have been somehow fragmented, missing some vital scenes here and there. Maybe what I saw was a movie fragment where scenes having been omitted without the director's or the producer's knowledge. The full film could have been a 10.
Metaphors, metaphors...
fedkad21 May 2023
This movie tries to parallel the current Turkish social and political state by using a simple story in a small town in central Turkey using many metaphors. Since the script writer has not worked very hard in doing this, the narrative becomes weaker and weaker as the movie goes on. The first parts were interesting and promising, however towards the end of the movie, the script fell to the point where it broke from being believable and original. Performances are generally good and cinematography is also above average. I hope more of these type of movies with a better story and script are produced in Turkey, because there is a need for them.
The most successful Turkish movie of recent years
Kimyager108 January 2023
In a barren time when Turkish cinema was caught between Nuri Bilge Ceylan-style situational films and unsuccessful comedy films, Emin Alper's work was quite special. He not only delivers the message he wants to convey in a striking and serious style, but also preserves the element of tension until the last moment. In addition to the harmony of the geography of the story with the color palette, the camera angles are generally successful. The leading actors, Selahattin Pasali and Ekin Koc did a pretty good job. The tension between them disturbing certain groups in Turkey also reveals the topicality of the film's content.
I enjoyed watching it very much and I found it quite successful artistically. Hope to see more movies of this quality in Turkish cinema.
I enjoyed watching it very much and I found it quite successful artistically. Hope to see more movies of this quality in Turkish cinema.
Burning ambition gets him (too) close to the fire
Horst_In_Translation23 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
"Kurak Günler" or "Burning Days" is a Turkish Turkish-language film from 2022 and I saw this the other day part of some special event that is linked to a (mildly) prestigious audience award. Lux is the name, but this is not the name of the movie theater where I saw it, even if it is a theater where I also always like to go, but still. Turkish films really do not come here too often, if I can even call it that as this is a collaboration between a total of six European countries and this may also partially explain the impact that this film got seen by quite a few already. The room was also fairly packed when I went. I am actually a bit surprised I never saw the film running in one of the theaters I usually go to, but I am also not sure if it has had a wide release already anyway. In any case, my country Germany is also one of the production countries. Actually, I can take this back that there are not many films from Turkey here because this is a very Turkey-friendly place where I live, but these films that do get shown at the big mainstream theaters are in 95% of the cases comedies and this one here is not a comedy by any means. I am not sure if I laughed once while watching. Or smiled at least. It is all about the drama.
But before we dive into the plot, let's take a look at the people who made this: This is the fourth film for writer and director and you can add a television series to that which was actually his most recent project before the shooting of this movie. He has his tenth anniversary now as a filmmaker, so good for him and kinda fitting that this movie here made such huge waves. He is almost 50 now, so was definitely a late bloomer, but he is blooming as strong as it gets now. He already scored awards attention with his previous works, but the way it went here with, according to imdb, almost 30 awards wins and another almost 20 awards nomination, it is clearly something else. The film's average imdb rating over 8/10 is also not too shabby. As some of the award recognition also happened in America, I am curious if we will see him direct a movie over there at some point, maybe not a big blockbuster right away, but at least a film with English-speaking actors and language. Time will tell. It is surely his most known work by now and it's probably gonna stay this way at least until he makes another film. The same can be said about the cast members here, even if none of them really scored a lot of awards attention, at least not outside of Turkey, but still. The overall impact is just huge. Just look at the praise from the Cannes Film Festival and also European Film Awards. I see another film was submitted from Turkey to the Oscars for the 2023 ceremony, but I am not sure if "Burning Days" was eligible back then or is eligible for the 2024 event then. If it is the latter, then we surely have a contender already and this film could have a good shot at becoming the first Turkish film ever to get nominated in the foreign language category or whatever it is called now. You know what I mean.
The lead actor is Selahattin Pasali and he is maybe also a name to remember. I feel like he is going to have a long career in the industry and not only in films from his country. In this movie here that runs for over 2.5 hours, he plays an idealistic public prosecutor who takes over work at a new place and runs into obstacles right away as the local population are not really too supportive of the man. This involves the idea of shooting firearms in the city when going hunting, but also things get more aggravated when a teenage girl is sexually abused, apparently against her will even. And the prosecutor turns into a suspect himself as he was part of the group that night that is attached to the crime. There are two men there in particular and you see them early on paying a visit to the prosecutor and they are all kind and courteous there and try to convince him to not go too harsh on them. I think this was interesting because it was a strong contrast compared to the one other man the protagonist meets for the first time when he goes swimming, the one who tells him that he should not go swimming there. It also seemed like a threat, even if there was a small possibility indeed that the other man was just worried about the protagonist's safety, but this encounter seemed much more unpleasant compared to the other one and there you see how fast things actually do change.
Look at how the relationship unfolds with the two other men: The meet for a little party and meal in the evening and seem to be getting closer and the protagonist even says he will maybe come and join them when they go hunting the next time, but something completely different was on the men's mind that night. Certainly nothing empathic. Then you also see the older guy, the one with the beard, talk to the prosecutor in a way that makes obvious that he does not like him, does not respect him and needs him gone. His younger buddy seems the more diplomatic from the two, but in the end when the townsfolk is literally chasing the prosecutor and ready to kill him, that more diplomatic guy had also lost all cautiousness and behaves like a wild animal, which you maybe would not have though earlier. It is all about the power in this situation. The older guy there seems to be in some kind of delirium really when we see him in this scene towards the end. The prosecutor there is in this house and the other ones are coming closer on their destructive path or actually they even chase them outside at the very end. The protagonist is also not getting any help from a local judge and this one was a female by the way and I liked that that the film does not just depict men as evil. Said judge suggested to the main character that he should let things rest and the latter comes up with arguments that make it obvious to the judge and also others on a few occasion that the crime must be solved and justice must be brought upon because otherwise the girl will be raped again and again. But these arguments cannot shake the old fundament in this town to the core and eventually the protagonist has only one choice, namely to run. He is accompanied by his friend there and the possibility that these two may be lovers or may turn into lovers was of course something that was also not appreciated and nobody wanted to see that in the Turkish countryside. We do not know for sure though. The main character at least had these instincts that he might get busy with women too, but of course he was drugged when he did, so we don't know exactly.
This is also not what the film is about anyway and that is a great thing. There were enough other areas where they (i.e. Alper) elaborated on convincingly enough the way I see it. This also includes the parts that deal with the difficult geographic in situation in Turkey, a country that always has to deal with earthquakes, water shortage and the big hole we see on several occasions and in an especially haunting fashion at the very end where the two basically got away safely thanks to it from the bloodlusty mob who wanted to kill them. And definitely would have I think it was a nice inclusion, but I still wonder how they got over there so quickly, even if it was a memorable camera shot. Nice way to end the film that probably also helped with the rating because many will remember this. What is more crucial this very moment though is that there was no way for the prosecutor to turn this place into an honorable place, but it stays rooted centuries in the past in terms of the legal situation. The next prosecutor will have to find his own approach there. Maybe he is one who will not pursue rape charges and thus exactly what the people there are looking for. Overall, it is a good, but not great film. Sometimes, it felt a bit too exaggerated with what comes the main character's way and a little more subtlety in terms of the script, but also score for example (and not just those two production fields) would not have hurt. I still think the writing and acting and direction in here is good. The thumbs-up from my side was never in doubt and I will also not be sad if it manages to win the Lux Audience Award, but it is still 1.5 months until we find out. I will not be cheering it on either though.
But before we dive into the plot, let's take a look at the people who made this: This is the fourth film for writer and director and you can add a television series to that which was actually his most recent project before the shooting of this movie. He has his tenth anniversary now as a filmmaker, so good for him and kinda fitting that this movie here made such huge waves. He is almost 50 now, so was definitely a late bloomer, but he is blooming as strong as it gets now. He already scored awards attention with his previous works, but the way it went here with, according to imdb, almost 30 awards wins and another almost 20 awards nomination, it is clearly something else. The film's average imdb rating over 8/10 is also not too shabby. As some of the award recognition also happened in America, I am curious if we will see him direct a movie over there at some point, maybe not a big blockbuster right away, but at least a film with English-speaking actors and language. Time will tell. It is surely his most known work by now and it's probably gonna stay this way at least until he makes another film. The same can be said about the cast members here, even if none of them really scored a lot of awards attention, at least not outside of Turkey, but still. The overall impact is just huge. Just look at the praise from the Cannes Film Festival and also European Film Awards. I see another film was submitted from Turkey to the Oscars for the 2023 ceremony, but I am not sure if "Burning Days" was eligible back then or is eligible for the 2024 event then. If it is the latter, then we surely have a contender already and this film could have a good shot at becoming the first Turkish film ever to get nominated in the foreign language category or whatever it is called now. You know what I mean.
The lead actor is Selahattin Pasali and he is maybe also a name to remember. I feel like he is going to have a long career in the industry and not only in films from his country. In this movie here that runs for over 2.5 hours, he plays an idealistic public prosecutor who takes over work at a new place and runs into obstacles right away as the local population are not really too supportive of the man. This involves the idea of shooting firearms in the city when going hunting, but also things get more aggravated when a teenage girl is sexually abused, apparently against her will even. And the prosecutor turns into a suspect himself as he was part of the group that night that is attached to the crime. There are two men there in particular and you see them early on paying a visit to the prosecutor and they are all kind and courteous there and try to convince him to not go too harsh on them. I think this was interesting because it was a strong contrast compared to the one other man the protagonist meets for the first time when he goes swimming, the one who tells him that he should not go swimming there. It also seemed like a threat, even if there was a small possibility indeed that the other man was just worried about the protagonist's safety, but this encounter seemed much more unpleasant compared to the other one and there you see how fast things actually do change.
Look at how the relationship unfolds with the two other men: The meet for a little party and meal in the evening and seem to be getting closer and the protagonist even says he will maybe come and join them when they go hunting the next time, but something completely different was on the men's mind that night. Certainly nothing empathic. Then you also see the older guy, the one with the beard, talk to the prosecutor in a way that makes obvious that he does not like him, does not respect him and needs him gone. His younger buddy seems the more diplomatic from the two, but in the end when the townsfolk is literally chasing the prosecutor and ready to kill him, that more diplomatic guy had also lost all cautiousness and behaves like a wild animal, which you maybe would not have though earlier. It is all about the power in this situation. The older guy there seems to be in some kind of delirium really when we see him in this scene towards the end. The prosecutor there is in this house and the other ones are coming closer on their destructive path or actually they even chase them outside at the very end. The protagonist is also not getting any help from a local judge and this one was a female by the way and I liked that that the film does not just depict men as evil. Said judge suggested to the main character that he should let things rest and the latter comes up with arguments that make it obvious to the judge and also others on a few occasion that the crime must be solved and justice must be brought upon because otherwise the girl will be raped again and again. But these arguments cannot shake the old fundament in this town to the core and eventually the protagonist has only one choice, namely to run. He is accompanied by his friend there and the possibility that these two may be lovers or may turn into lovers was of course something that was also not appreciated and nobody wanted to see that in the Turkish countryside. We do not know for sure though. The main character at least had these instincts that he might get busy with women too, but of course he was drugged when he did, so we don't know exactly.
This is also not what the film is about anyway and that is a great thing. There were enough other areas where they (i.e. Alper) elaborated on convincingly enough the way I see it. This also includes the parts that deal with the difficult geographic in situation in Turkey, a country that always has to deal with earthquakes, water shortage and the big hole we see on several occasions and in an especially haunting fashion at the very end where the two basically got away safely thanks to it from the bloodlusty mob who wanted to kill them. And definitely would have I think it was a nice inclusion, but I still wonder how they got over there so quickly, even if it was a memorable camera shot. Nice way to end the film that probably also helped with the rating because many will remember this. What is more crucial this very moment though is that there was no way for the prosecutor to turn this place into an honorable place, but it stays rooted centuries in the past in terms of the legal situation. The next prosecutor will have to find his own approach there. Maybe he is one who will not pursue rape charges and thus exactly what the people there are looking for. Overall, it is a good, but not great film. Sometimes, it felt a bit too exaggerated with what comes the main character's way and a little more subtlety in terms of the script, but also score for example (and not just those two production fields) would not have hurt. I still think the writing and acting and direction in here is good. The thumbs-up from my side was never in doubt and I will also not be sad if it manages to win the Lux Audience Award, but it is still 1.5 months until we find out. I will not be cheering it on either though.
Terrible ending with unrealistic scenes
Thisishowwedo19 November 2023
Without wanting to spoil anything - this film is a huge disappointment. I watched it until the end and had high expectations since the first half of the film seemed to have potential and looked interesting to me. I also liked the camera work very much. However, suddenly one realistic event happened after another and it started to get really absurd. Honestly I lost my respect for the director since he must think his audience must be stupid. There was no clarifying ending, just confusion and stupid scenes that even a little child wouldn't think of. None of the last scenes would actually happen in real life, especially the very last one. Too bad they couldn't make something out of it, it had potential. It left me with annoyance and a total waste of time.
Magnificent film
mirapinararam21 December 2022
The movie was simply magnificent, I wish health to those big hearts of everyone who contributed... It hits the realities of the country like a slap in the face. When it's finished, it ignites a box of matches that need to be lit in order to heal in the minds and hearts of truly enlightened, good and aware people and to heal the country.. For the others, it must have created a bit of a sense of relief. I hope... The fact that an animal's carcass is being chased by the drooling spittle of monster-turned-humans must have disturbed the evil spirits. What do we expect from a film, from an artist? Isn't it just putting the facts on the face? Isn't it our desire to face ourselves? In my opinion, real artists are the messengers of God in this world. They lead humanity to live in truth, beauty, honesty, humanity and peace. The number of these ambassadors is not many. I hope with all my heart that the value of this film and, in my opinion, this "ambassador" "Emin Alper" and his entire team will be appreciated...
Extraordinary psychological & political suspense movie.
Moosty29 December 2022
Kurak Gunler, which literally translates as "Arid Days" in Turkish, is an extraordinary psychological / political suspense movie that I watched without breathing from the very beginning to the last minute. If we can still be so deeply affected by the events that take place in this film despite all the shame and disgrace we have experienced in the last 20 years, it means there is still hope for this country.
The suspense continues until the end of the movie, also with the help of great soundtrack and perfect acting performances, especially by the talented young Turkish actor, sweet Selahattin Pasali.
My only disappointment about the movie was the end was not very hopeful, which we need more than ever nowadays...
The suspense continues until the end of the movie, also with the help of great soundtrack and perfect acting performances, especially by the talented young Turkish actor, sweet Selahattin Pasali.
My only disappointment about the movie was the end was not very hopeful, which we need more than ever nowadays...
A Tale Of Crime, Corruption, Politics & Power
CinemaClown15 June 2023
A tale of crime, corruption, politics, power & manipulation, Burning Days concerns a young prosecutor who is newly appointed to a small Turkish town hit by water crisis and finds himself reluctantly dragged into the local politics that quietly escalates into an inescapable nightmare. Brimming with simmering tension and arresting from the get-go, Kurak Günler is an incendiary offering from Turkey.
Written & directed by Emin Alper, the film borrows elements from several genres and keeps us invested by not giving out every detail. Memory lapses, tense altercations, hidden motivations, heated rumours & unreliable characters ratchet up the drama while sustaining the narrative ambiguity and also contribute to the increasingly combustible finale that moves with an edge-of-the-seat intensity.
Apart from offering a microcosm of modern-day Turkey & its recent political happenings, the story also touches on Turkish homophobia without being explicit about it. Also, by not providing the audience a full picture of the event that sets the plot into motion, every character is suspect in one way or another. Add to that, the actors deliver solid performances in their respective roles and are thoroughly convincing.
Overall, Burning Days is a tense, gritty & scorching political thriller driven by strong performances that doesn't offer easy answers but gives the viewers enough pieces for them to come up with their own interpretations. There are several threads at play here, each further complicating the matter until the aggravating situation spirals out of control for our prosecutor and leads him to the slippery edge of a sinkhole.
Written & directed by Emin Alper, the film borrows elements from several genres and keeps us invested by not giving out every detail. Memory lapses, tense altercations, hidden motivations, heated rumours & unreliable characters ratchet up the drama while sustaining the narrative ambiguity and also contribute to the increasingly combustible finale that moves with an edge-of-the-seat intensity.
Apart from offering a microcosm of modern-day Turkey & its recent political happenings, the story also touches on Turkish homophobia without being explicit about it. Also, by not providing the audience a full picture of the event that sets the plot into motion, every character is suspect in one way or another. Add to that, the actors deliver solid performances in their respective roles and are thoroughly convincing.
Overall, Burning Days is a tense, gritty & scorching political thriller driven by strong performances that doesn't offer easy answers but gives the viewers enough pieces for them to come up with their own interpretations. There are several threads at play here, each further complicating the matter until the aggravating situation spirals out of control for our prosecutor and leads him to the slippery edge of a sinkhole.
Up In the air...
expertocrede25 December 2022
The movie starts with a hunting scene also this scene is a summary of the movie but inadequate visual effects directly disturb my perception. Why did you make a huge huge huge ponor? These ponors and cheap photoshops annoy me throughout the movie.
After that, the conversation scene between Murat and Sahin is really long also the first lake scene, I mean the first interactions of Murat and Emre, is unnecessarily long and messages are directly brought to our eyes. Maybe we can ignore those situations but I think we have a big problem. Sahin and Kemal's actings are clearly better than Murat and Emre. How did you not see this? Main character's actings are just extras. This cast choice is definitely wrong. When we think overall. Emin Alper is never going to be a senior director. This one is his fourth movie but still, I can not see a progression.
After that, the conversation scene between Murat and Sahin is really long also the first lake scene, I mean the first interactions of Murat and Emre, is unnecessarily long and messages are directly brought to our eyes. Maybe we can ignore those situations but I think we have a big problem. Sahin and Kemal's actings are clearly better than Murat and Emre. How did you not see this? Main character's actings are just extras. This cast choice is definitely wrong. When we think overall. Emin Alper is never going to be a senior director. This one is his fourth movie but still, I can not see a progression.
boars
ozgurbaskaya11 December 2022
If you are different from others and tell the truths you ll be hunted like boars. The movie is bravely criticizing the society when some within it do not behave depending on the expectations of the accepted living style. The corrupted conservative society destroy the barriers and be aggressive towards new comers due to having a different lifestyle. Sinkholes in the society is so obvious that they usually neglect the scientific reality which may threatens their lives. The water scarcety gives chance to corrupted the politics to be act freely and abuse the law. However the opposition are innocent We could not never know.
First Turkish move on the climate crisis
sinaneden19 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
§0. There are many story lines that one could evaluate. Most of them are poorly developed. But one is exceptionally promising.
§0.1. One story is an urban prosecutor coming to a rural context, meddling with things with some sort of idealism, and getting consumed by the local power dynamics. This is a recurring theme in Turkish modernity, where the urban character is validated where the rural, backwards, conservative folks are stigmatized en masse. It's a common story since 1930s. In this movie, it's not properly designed. There is an idea, but as the movie moves on, the story gets less and less coherent. It then ends abruptly and prematurely, leaving the audience with a taste of half cooked food.
§0.2. Another story is the rape of a young woman and the intrigues around it. In this also, the story gets tangled up with no coherent way out. Besides, the entire subplot is made through the "male gaze", making the story quite problematic.
§0.3. If we analyze the movie with the above plots in mind, our conclusion would be: the director had a good idea, but started filming before developing it, and then had to stop it when the budget ended.
§1. However, there is one underlying story that reviewers seem to ignore: the climate emergency. Now bear with me a little bit.
§2. If I would make a move on the climate crisis, this is the story I would tell. Climate chaos is not about some abstract drought or some abrupt disaster. It's not about nature. It's about collapsing societies. Climate chaos will manifest itself exactly through the existing social and political relations. And all power will be articulated through it.
§3. This thread is omnipresent throughout the movie:
§3.1. This movie is called "arid days" (I think the translation to "burning days" gives it a wrong twist. The Turkish original has nothing to do with anything burning.)
§3.2. The landscape is dead. We are regularly exposed to the desert-like landscape, and the lakes next to it (implying that the region is not supposed to be as arid as it is).
§3.3. The rulers are talking about diminishing underground water sources and their "solutions" to it. Their solution is imploding the entire town. (We hear later that there is a better solution, but it's "expensive".)
§3.4. The rulers also say they have their back covered. They have water tanks at home. They even offer it to a newcomer power-holder (prosecutor).
§3.5. All other systems of oppression are accentuated by the chronic drought and water scarcity. We see this throughout the movie. Two big examples. 1) There is an obscene image where they wash the gypsy girl with a water-hose. It's their signal of privilege and domination. 2) The whole narrative that the journalist investigating the subsiding lands is discarded as gay, and the prosecutor's house is attacked with the same side-narrative.
§3.6. No one ever mentions climate crisis. (This is a very important aspect of the climate crisis, because it will be a recurring theme in the upcoming decades. Nobody told the story of the Syrian civil war as a climate collapse. Nobody refers to human beings drowning in the Mediterranean Sea as climate migrants. There is always some other "cause" to blame which makes the narrative more convenient. - In the movie, it's "population".)
§3.7. The entire society is mobilized and polarized through the water issue. The ruling faction that controls the narrative controls the already-agitated masses. Those masses are angry for a good reason. They walk around with empty water cans. They cue with empty water cans. They protest with empty water cans.
§4. I wish more directors would experiment with climate crisis as contexts in which the society would be in transformation. This movie should be highlighted and remembered as one of the first and most daring attempts in this direction.
§0.1. One story is an urban prosecutor coming to a rural context, meddling with things with some sort of idealism, and getting consumed by the local power dynamics. This is a recurring theme in Turkish modernity, where the urban character is validated where the rural, backwards, conservative folks are stigmatized en masse. It's a common story since 1930s. In this movie, it's not properly designed. There is an idea, but as the movie moves on, the story gets less and less coherent. It then ends abruptly and prematurely, leaving the audience with a taste of half cooked food.
§0.2. Another story is the rape of a young woman and the intrigues around it. In this also, the story gets tangled up with no coherent way out. Besides, the entire subplot is made through the "male gaze", making the story quite problematic.
§0.3. If we analyze the movie with the above plots in mind, our conclusion would be: the director had a good idea, but started filming before developing it, and then had to stop it when the budget ended.
§1. However, there is one underlying story that reviewers seem to ignore: the climate emergency. Now bear with me a little bit.
§2. If I would make a move on the climate crisis, this is the story I would tell. Climate chaos is not about some abstract drought or some abrupt disaster. It's not about nature. It's about collapsing societies. Climate chaos will manifest itself exactly through the existing social and political relations. And all power will be articulated through it.
§3. This thread is omnipresent throughout the movie:
§3.1. This movie is called "arid days" (I think the translation to "burning days" gives it a wrong twist. The Turkish original has nothing to do with anything burning.)
§3.2. The landscape is dead. We are regularly exposed to the desert-like landscape, and the lakes next to it (implying that the region is not supposed to be as arid as it is).
§3.3. The rulers are talking about diminishing underground water sources and their "solutions" to it. Their solution is imploding the entire town. (We hear later that there is a better solution, but it's "expensive".)
§3.4. The rulers also say they have their back covered. They have water tanks at home. They even offer it to a newcomer power-holder (prosecutor).
§3.5. All other systems of oppression are accentuated by the chronic drought and water scarcity. We see this throughout the movie. Two big examples. 1) There is an obscene image where they wash the gypsy girl with a water-hose. It's their signal of privilege and domination. 2) The whole narrative that the journalist investigating the subsiding lands is discarded as gay, and the prosecutor's house is attacked with the same side-narrative.
§3.6. No one ever mentions climate crisis. (This is a very important aspect of the climate crisis, because it will be a recurring theme in the upcoming decades. Nobody told the story of the Syrian civil war as a climate collapse. Nobody refers to human beings drowning in the Mediterranean Sea as climate migrants. There is always some other "cause" to blame which makes the narrative more convenient. - In the movie, it's "population".)
§3.7. The entire society is mobilized and polarized through the water issue. The ruling faction that controls the narrative controls the already-agitated masses. Those masses are angry for a good reason. They walk around with empty water cans. They cue with empty water cans. They protest with empty water cans.
§4. I wish more directors would experiment with climate crisis as contexts in which the society would be in transformation. This movie should be highlighted and remembered as one of the first and most daring attempts in this direction.
Gripping
insightflow-206038 April 2023
The deep drama and claustrophobic feel to this captivating film steps on the classic examples of cinema - in fact, I find contemporary Turkish cinema to be among the best in the world, and most consistently. The villains bear on horror, there's a consummate female victim, and both major characters have great complexity to them, swaying between protagonism and antagonism. There's a homoerotic layer added, and all this is engulfed in the oppressive and all too real story of corruption and subjugation, the mob perhaps the biggest villain of them all. The cinematography is outstanding, with some scenes pieces of art.
Underrated
saturninity21 May 2023
First of all it is a wonderful work that artistically and successfully presents the recent social structure and domestic events of Turkey (and perhaps many other countries). Should be watched without any prejudice. Absolutely a beacon of hope for Turkish cinema.
And if I need to add my personal opinions I think it would be even more dramatic and obviously romantic if we were able to see the attraction between the two main characters. I just loved the actors harmony with each other. But that's just a little detail and a backstory of course. Other than that it was one of the best movies I've ever watched. I'll watch it again sometime.
And if I need to add my personal opinions I think it would be even more dramatic and obviously romantic if we were able to see the attraction between the two main characters. I just loved the actors harmony with each other. But that's just a little detail and a backstory of course. Other than that it was one of the best movies I've ever watched. I'll watch it again sometime.
The exploitation of women to further a male plot line
catterwallz28 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This is a movie about men for men. It uses the rape of a young girl to further its male character story. We should not forget this simply because the character is struggling with his sexuality. The scene involving the young girl was not well written for women to watch and just to make everyone uncomfortable rather than aware of the issues of child exploitation and sexual abuse of women. Male director lacks sensitivity and goes for the easy reactions from its male audience. For me and every woman I know, this is hard to stomach. Where are the sensitivity trainers? Someone needs to help men in film understand how to write and develop a story about women and children. Yes, it tells a dark tale of the climate in Turkey right now, but it misses the mark on how to do it in a way to give women and children dignity.
strangled legality
dromasca17 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
'Kurak Günler' ('Dry Days', the English distribution title - inaccurately translated - is 'Burning Days') is the fourth feature film by Turkish director Emin Alper, one of the young and brave directors who continue to make films in Turkey (some of them international co-productions, such as this one). It is a well-written film that combines a detective story with a political drama and succeeds in transmitting to viewers an unambiguous message about the dangers of the political and judicial system decaying under the pressure of populism and corruption. The film enjoyed success in Turkey winning 6 national awards and several major awards at the Antalya International Festival, but also caused controversy due to the LGBT insinuations of one of the subplots. For foreign viewers this film is a proof that Turkish cinema continues to offer very good films made by talented filmmakers working in sometimes very difficult conditions.
Overwhelming heat dominates the behavior of the characters. In this respect, 'Kurak Günler' reminded me of another formidable political film - the 1997 'In the Heat of the Night' directed by Norman Jewison and starring Sydney Poitier and Rod Steiger. This is not the only point of similarity. Just like in the American film, here too a lawman is sent to a remote place, where the institutions that are supposed to rule for order and justice are either corrupt or under pressure from local rich people in cahoots with asserved politicians. Prosecutor Emre is a young man of law, perhaps in his first post in a remote corner of Turkey. The drought is haunting and the groundwater sources are in the hands of the tycoon who also happens to be the mayor. Their intensive exploitation leads to landslides, but the investigations train, especially as the elections are approaching. The mayor, his family and the surrounding clique try to co-opt the young prosecutor at the local 'traditions' and when the attempts seem to fail, to compromise him. His only ally seems to be Murat, a local journalist who also has his own secrets and perhaps not quite innocent family motivations. The situation gets complicated when a young gypsy woman is raped and beaten and Emre finds himself in the situation of an investigator who wants to do justice, but at the same time he is a witness or even possibly a participant in the crime.
Apparently this remote village has institutions that are supposed to enforce the law. There is an intelligent and possibly non-corrupt female judge, police has a chief who follows orders to a point, there is an opposition journal. Elections are also held. But the people are under pressure from those who dominate the local economy and especially manage the most vital resource - water. Manipulate politically and informationally, people turn into a mob driven to violence. The film depicts a process of disintegration of the social fabric which ultimately renders the existence of democratic and legal institutions irrelevant. The last 15 minutes of the film are formidable. The micro-universe of the village - perhaps a metaphor for Turkey but not only, because similar phenomena occur in many other places in the world - enters a whirlwind of violence that seems to erase every trace of humanity. Only the last frame hints to a certain dose of hope, but it is clear that there is much to be done and rebuilt before a return to normalcy.
'Kurak Günler' looks good both as a social drama and as a political thriller - a combination that proves to be a winner here as well. The good knowledge and understanding of human psychology and social mentalities makes so that each of the characters have a distinct profile and at the same time they are representative of their times and places. The cinematography of Hristos Karamanis conveys beyond the screen the heat and dust of the arid region where the story takes place. The performances of the actors are all outstanding, and it is hard to choose who to mention, so I will only write the name of the actor who plays the prosecutor Emre - Selahattin Pasali. 'Kurak Günler' belongs to that category of films with a message and conscience that represent milestones in the evolution of a national cinema school.
Overwhelming heat dominates the behavior of the characters. In this respect, 'Kurak Günler' reminded me of another formidable political film - the 1997 'In the Heat of the Night' directed by Norman Jewison and starring Sydney Poitier and Rod Steiger. This is not the only point of similarity. Just like in the American film, here too a lawman is sent to a remote place, where the institutions that are supposed to rule for order and justice are either corrupt or under pressure from local rich people in cahoots with asserved politicians. Prosecutor Emre is a young man of law, perhaps in his first post in a remote corner of Turkey. The drought is haunting and the groundwater sources are in the hands of the tycoon who also happens to be the mayor. Their intensive exploitation leads to landslides, but the investigations train, especially as the elections are approaching. The mayor, his family and the surrounding clique try to co-opt the young prosecutor at the local 'traditions' and when the attempts seem to fail, to compromise him. His only ally seems to be Murat, a local journalist who also has his own secrets and perhaps not quite innocent family motivations. The situation gets complicated when a young gypsy woman is raped and beaten and Emre finds himself in the situation of an investigator who wants to do justice, but at the same time he is a witness or even possibly a participant in the crime.
Apparently this remote village has institutions that are supposed to enforce the law. There is an intelligent and possibly non-corrupt female judge, police has a chief who follows orders to a point, there is an opposition journal. Elections are also held. But the people are under pressure from those who dominate the local economy and especially manage the most vital resource - water. Manipulate politically and informationally, people turn into a mob driven to violence. The film depicts a process of disintegration of the social fabric which ultimately renders the existence of democratic and legal institutions irrelevant. The last 15 minutes of the film are formidable. The micro-universe of the village - perhaps a metaphor for Turkey but not only, because similar phenomena occur in many other places in the world - enters a whirlwind of violence that seems to erase every trace of humanity. Only the last frame hints to a certain dose of hope, but it is clear that there is much to be done and rebuilt before a return to normalcy.
'Kurak Günler' looks good both as a social drama and as a political thriller - a combination that proves to be a winner here as well. The good knowledge and understanding of human psychology and social mentalities makes so that each of the characters have a distinct profile and at the same time they are representative of their times and places. The cinematography of Hristos Karamanis conveys beyond the screen the heat and dust of the arid region where the story takes place. The performances of the actors are all outstanding, and it is hard to choose who to mention, so I will only write the name of the actor who plays the prosecutor Emre - Selahattin Pasali. 'Kurak Günler' belongs to that category of films with a message and conscience that represent milestones in the evolution of a national cinema school.
A must-remember
ozgur_ozbek9 January 2023
This is a very good film amidst all the drama surrounding the artistic product. In some ways, one can feel that the whole story was invented to bring us, the audience, to the masterfully symbolic ending of the movie. In a lot of ways that last 15 minutes is an encapsulation of last few years of Türkiye. Those being said, I did not find the relationship between the prosecutor and the journalist (which was quite central to the story) very realistic both in practical and aesthetic terms. Also, there were too many loose ends that were left open which can undermine the director's message. The movie will most certainly occupy an important place in Turkish cinematography, hopefully as a reminder of once crazy times.
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