A HANDFUL OF DUST

Australia, 1973, 43 minutes, Colour.
Ayten Kyululu, Ilhan Kyululu, Vedat Cevikoz, Carol Rachelle.
Directed by Ayten Kyululu.

The Golden Cage and A Handful of Dust are two short features by Turkish writer director Ayten Kyululu. They were produced with the assistance of the Australia Council - and contribute to some understanding of Turkish migrants trying to establish themselves in Australia.

The theme of ethnic groups in Australia has not been explored very much in the Australian features of the '70s. Tom Cowan made Promised Woman, a look at a bride brought out from Greece and then rejected by her fiance and having to cope in Sydney. Caddie and Cathy's Child, both directed by Donald Crombie, focus on Greek migrants as does Paul Cox's Kostas. There are many worthwhile contemporary stories to be filmed in the light of Australia's multicultural and multinational situation.

These films are beginner's work - but as such show a great deal of sophistication and knowledge of film-making. At times they are wordy, at times they move to the merely melodramatic. At times there is too much contrivance. A Handful of Dust, though short, makes more immediate impact because of the moving performance by Vedat Cevikoz as a dignified and victimised middle-aged Turkish woman. The two men at the centre of The Golden Cage, while sympathetic, do not elicit the same kind of audience response.

Kyululu had the assistance of a number of people who were to make their mark in the resurgent Australian film industry - Esben Storm and Richard Moir helped with A Handful of Dust; Russell Boyd photographed The Golden Cage and Philip Noyce was assistant director. These films illustrate the experimental films of the '70s which had value in themselves but which developed into a group of feature films of small budget but serious intention.

1. The impact of the film as a short feature? Its being made in 1973 - precedents to that point in Australian film-making? The initial work of the writer-director? Strengths and weaknesses of technique, writing, drama, melodrama, characterisation?

2. Audience interest in the Turkish and Lebanese communities in Sydney? The adaptation of the Turks and Lebanese to Sydney, the customs and culture that they brought, the incongruities of this culture in Australia? The value of these social themes? The portrayal of the problems of the migrants, assimilation, preservation of culture, clashes of culture, clashes of law?

3. The quotation from T. S. Eliot and its summing up of themes?

4. The establishing of the two central characters? Cemil and his relationship with the Australian girl., his coming to the help of Ayse? Portraying each of the characters in their walk of life, home life? The building up of the interaction? Cemil's calling around, Ayse's cautious response? Seeing both of them at work? Within the context of settling in to Sydney? Ayse and the indications of the vendetta? The build-up of audience expectation for the solving of the vendetta mystery?

5. How well did the film establish the atmosphere of Sydney - particular locations, Redfern, the Turkish cafe, the people, atmosphere? The continuous insertion of Australian interludes? Characters?

6. The bringing together of Cemil and Ayse? Cerall and his private wag of life? Ayse and her prayer, her work, her visits to her son, her honesty and payments, the receiving of the blood notes? Her protecting Cemil from knowledge of the vendetta notes?

7. The proposal of marriage, her reflection, the detail of the Muslim ceremony? Aysel's love for Cemil and reliance on him, what they had in common as Turkish and Lebanese in Australia? The visits to see Ayse's son?

8. Cemil's absence, her search, discovery of her son's death, her grief and prayer, the message to her home, the meeting of Cemil, leading him away from the police, the sexual encounter in the park, the off-screen death and her walking away in dignity?

9. Ali and the tradition of the family feud, the feud continuing in Redfern? The confrontations with Ayse? The contact with the police and the payoff?

10. The character of Cemil - the blonde, his lies to Ayse, his killing of the boy and audience revulsion, the discussions about the buying of the car? The gangster type? His motivation for the killing? Ayse and her killing him - the executing of justice?

11. The emotional impact of Ayse's final walking away?

12. How well did the film explain the background of vendetta, vendetta law, justice, the role of the police in Australia? Insight and feeling into character and situation?