CHOKEHOLD/ BOGO BOGO

Turkey, 2023, 115 minutes, Colour.

Kivan Tatlitug, Funda Erygit.

Directed by Onur Saylak.

This is a Turkish film with universal application. It is set in a town on the Aegean and a remote farm.

Initially, the central character, Yalin, arriving at the farm with his wife and settling there, seems a sympathetic character. Gradually the truth is revealed about his background, his setting up of a Ponzi scheme, his partners and betrayal, the discovery, his evading the law and coming to the town.

He seems to be settling in when he is accosted in an antique shop by the salesman, one of his victims, a strong altercation, Yalin violent and killing the men, taking his body and burying it in secret. Later there is another confrontation, another killing, another burial.

Yalin becomes more restless, a touch paranoid with people observing him, going to a fishing group and promising to pay if they will take him to Greece. He has been tense with his wife, urging her to pack for their journey – and she revealing that it was she who gave the information about him to the authorities. And he responds violently.

There is something of a cynical ending, Yalin giving the money to the authorities and their accepting it, letting him go free – and the possibility of his setting up another Ponzi scheme.

1. Title? Physical chokehold? Moral chokehold?
2. The Turkish story, finance and business? Ponzi schemes? Exploitation? Responsibility and guilt? The law, evading the law? Universal story?
3. The location, the town, the farm, isolated, the Aegean Sea, shops, police precincts? Authentic feel? Musical score?
4. The initial response to Yalin, presentable, competent, taking up residence at the farm, his relationship with his wife, her support? Audience empathy?
5. The gradual revelation of the truth, Yalin and his business, his colleagues, doublecross, the Ponzi scheme, taking the money from poor people, hiding the money, arrest, evading the law, coming to the farm for isolation? The role of his wife, support, her knowledge of what was happening? The later revelation that she had informed on him to the authorities?
6. The surprise of the sequence with Yalin going to the shop, to buy the gift, the encounter with the salesman, the attack, the victim of the scheme, Yalin’s violence, killing the man, taking his body, burying it? The enquiries by the police? His covering story?
7. His becoming more and more morose, interactions with his wife, isolated, the second man attacking him, the second killing, burying the body?
8. People observing him, the fishing crew, his going to the wharf, the young man, the plan to come with the money, to sail to Greece?
9. The encounter with his wife, the relationship, her revealing the truth, his violence towards her? The initial burying of the money, recovering the barrel, the amount of money?
10. Yalin, the violence towards his wife, his reaction to her betrayal, the police investigation, his giving them the money, their accepting it, letting him go free?
11. Settling in the town – and the possibility of his setting up a further scheme and exploitation?
12. The film as a critique of exploitation financial schemes and the oppression of poor subscribers?