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Once Upon a Time in Anatolia - Film Review

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by Richard Leathem (subscribe)

Freelance writer. Melbourne based cinephile. Fond of food.

Event: 04/01/2012 - 30/06/2012

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One of the highlights of the 2011 Melbourne Film Festival finally gets a local cinema release. This is a gorgeous looking film, quite an achievement considering most of it is set in the pitch black of rural night and consists mostly of characters talking to each other. It's a film made with confidence and ambition - feel free to just sit back and let it wash over you.

madman.com.au

At two and a half hours, the deliberate pace won't be for all tastes, but for those who lock into the film's rhythm, its a rewarding experience. Ostensibly a low-key crime drama about the search for a missing body, it reaches beyond that and becomes a psychological study of its main characters and the changing shape of Turkish society. The real star though is the luscious wide-screen cinematography which really has to be seen on the big screen to be truly appreciated.