BAL (HONEY)
Turkey, 2010, 103 minutes, Colour.
Bora Atlas, Erdal Besikcioglu, Tulin Ozen.
Directed by Semih Kaplanoglu.
Bal is the third in a trilogy by writer and director, Semih Kaplanoglu, the previous two films being Egg and Milk. They look at contemporary Turkish life and focus on work and change as well as family.
Bal is a truly contemplative film, long takes for audiences to observe and feel (far too long for audiences with shorter attention spans). Into this contemplation of reality, come a number of dreams (which, the father of the family warns should not be told to others).
The focus is a 6 year old boy, a wonderfully lively and innocent performance by Bora Altas, who lives with his father and mother in a remote village in north eastern Turkey. In private with his father, he can read and shows great signs of intelligence. At school, he stammers and is generally silent. The director does wonders with the boy who has a vibrant and engaging screen presence. The warm scenes at home and out in the countryside where he bonds with his father (a manager of beehives in the trees) are very moving. But, the distance between the boy and his mother is dismaying. The film has many classroom sequences: reading, forming letters, sums where children can by hurtful as they laugh. But, the teacher is a fine affirming man.
This beautiful film is a feeling immersion in this Turkish way of life.
1.The completion of a trilogy? The character of Yusuf throughout the three films? Young, adult? An atmosphere of beauty and mystery, a contemplative film?
2.The Turkish countryside, the mountains and forests, homes, school, the town fair? The musical score?
3.Turkish traditions, the family, dress, prayer, meals, hospitality?
4.The insertion of the dreams into the realism? The opening, the long shot, Yakub and his donkey, climbing the tree, the accident – and the reprisal at the end? The discussion about dreams, not telling dreams, dreams as premonitions, the mother’s dream?
5.The contemplative style, the long takes, the editing and slower pace, non-verbal communication, the emphasis on look, behaviour – and the audience having to respond and make up their own minds about the characters, intuit their feelings?
6.Yusuf as the focus, at home, his age, his bonding with his father, reading the dates fluently at home, at school, stammering? Going with his father and identifying the flowers, helping him with his work, his father and the model boat? His not wanting to drink his milk? The tensions with his mother? The father’s gift to the other boy – the touch of jealousy? Growing up?
7.Yusuf at school, wanting to read, difficulty in reading, the children laughing at him, the homework exchange with his neighbour (and later giving him the gift of the boat when he was sick)? The teacher, affirming the students, giving them awards? His giving Yusuf an award despite his poor reading?
8.The other children, reading, writing, doing their sums, the class on nutrition? The teacher encouraging them with awards and applause?
9.Yusuf’s mother, work at home, not connecting with her son, the meals, the milk? His helping his mother while his father was away, the work, getting the eggs? The grandmother, his going to visit her? The town, searching for his father? His mother making inquiries? Hearing the sad news? Yusuf drinking his milk for his mother?
10.The portrait of the father, at work, a good man, the detail of his care for his son, love for his wife, the difficult times, his prayer, going to search for the honey, the accident and his death?
11.The sketch of the grandmother, her care, the neighbours?
12.A portrait of a way of life? Finishing with Yusuf searching for his father, in the dark of the forest?
