From master filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Winter Sleep, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia) comes a daring tale of betrayal, accusations and desire.

Longing to escape the isolation of his quiet Anatolian village, disenchanted art teacher Samet wrestles with narcissistic ideas of unfulfilled potential. While battling accusations of inappropriate behaviour at his school, he unexpectedly strikes up a friendship with Nuray, a charismatic fellow teacher, which offers a welcome distraction. But when her affection moves to Samet’s more affable colleague, he becomes jealous and begins to compete for her attention.

With breathtaking cinematography and outstanding performances, About Dry Grasses is an engrossing new piece of cinema from award-winning director Ceylan.

The Garden Cinema View:

Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s films are intimate explorations of the lives of ordinary people, set against the sweeping plateaus and mountain ranges of Eastern Anatolia. The equally epic running times of his recent output allow Ceylon to unfold his narratives in a fashion and at a pace that often feels literary (Anton Chekhov is a frequently cited touchstone). Long sequences of naturalistic dialogue are often allowed to play out from a single camera position and in long takes. As such, the sense of immersion into this world and his characters is as effective as any filmmaker working today. That is not to say that he is above a virtuosic edit or shot, non-diegetic music, and at least one quite surprising piece of reflexivity. But such is the control of the mise-en-scène that, although sparsely deployed, such moments feel striking and important. At the centre of the film is Deniz Celiloğlu complex performance. By turns intelligent, charismatic, bored, creepy, and frightening, his depiction of rural art teacher Samet confronts us with an uneasy mirror, and at times threatens to manifest as a kind of small-town Iago. About Dry Grasses demands commitment from its audience, but is a deeply rewarding watch, and another fine film from a true auteur.    

Cast:
Deniz Celiloğlu, Merve Dizdar, Musab Ekici