Reha Erdem-Bes vakit (’Times and Winds’) (2006)

Published by e-man | Filed under Video

Reha Erdem’s gorgeous portrait of the lives of a group of preadolescents in a remote Islamic village quietly builds an unforgettable emotional resonance from precisely observed moments. Left to their own devices, three friends roam the paths and hillsides near their homes, but when laboring under the attention of their parents, things are more complicated. Their thwarted dreams and desires form a dark current that runs under the surface of town life. Elegant widescreen photography underlines the isolation of the town and the way its life is measured by the patterns of nature and the calls to prayer. LA FilmFest









A small, poor village perched in high rocky mountains, facing the immense sea, flanked by olive groves. The villagers are simple and diligent people who struggle to cope. They earn a living from the earth and feed off the few animals they keep. Their daily life is split into five parts by the sound of the call to prayer. Rome FilmFest









When it comes to raising children, adults repeat the practices used by their parents. Ömer, Yakup and Yildiz, three children of about 12 or 13-years-old, grow up here. Ömer, the Imam’s son, wishes hopelessly for his own father’s death. When he realizes his wishes do not conjure up any concrete results, he begins to plan childish ways of killing his father. On the other hand, his friend Yakup is in love with his teacher. He hides his guilty feelings, even from Ömer. When one day he catches his father peeping at the teacher, and like his friend, he starts to dream of killing his father. Rome FilmFest









Yildiz, the only girl in the group, studies and, at the same time, tries to manage the household tasks imposed on her by her mother. Meanwhile, she learns with irritation the secrets of the relationship between men and women. Rome FilmFest









Director: The Turkish filmmaker Reha Erdem studied cinema in Paris after leaving his history studies at Istanbul University in 1983. His first movie Oh Moon - A Ay (1989) was voted Best Film of The Year by the Turkish Writers’ Association. Ten years later its follow-up, Run for Money - Kaç Para Kaç (1999) was selected as the official Turkish entry for the Foreign Language category at the Academy Awards. In 2004, he directed his third feature, Mommy, I’m Scared - Korkuyorum Anne (2004). Besides his filmmaking activity, Erdem also works in the theatre. Rome FilmFest