Once Upon a Time in Anatolia

Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

This film was the grand prize winner at the Cannes Film Festival. In many ways it is brilliant. However be forewarned that it is almost 3 hours in length. The first two hours are pictures of three cars driving at night over a lonely road through a desolate area in Turkey. The back car is an army vehicle. The other two cars carry the doctor, prosecutor, police and two men charged with murder. The prisoners are leading the group to the dead body.
The desolate countryside is shown in somber colors. Gradually the headlights of the cars appear in the horizon and moves forward. The cars stop and the prisoners are taken outside to identify the area where the body is buried. One man declares he was drunk and can’t remember. The other claims he was sleeping. The men are never abused but they are dragged to several different spots throughout the night, each one more barren than the other. As morning appears (and 2 hours later in film watching time) they stop at a spot the men recognize and the body is recovered.
That is the basic story but innuendos and conversation amongst the men gives you insight into the characters.
At then end of the film I was still confused and asked several people coming out of the film. One woman also confessed that she had no idea why the man was killed. Another woman rather arrogantly told me it was a brilliant film. She apparently had also seen the play on this topic.
The cinematography was exquisite. The acting was amazing. This was a long drawn out film. I suppose we are supposed to feel anxious and confused. At the end of the film an autopsy is done on the body. You are in the room. It was brilliantly filmed. You are never looking directly on. It is as if a screen is up and you are watching but not seeing anything. You do hear the doctors discussing the situation. The doctor performing the autopsy be cries the fact that he does not have the proper tools and would rather send the body to a nearby town with a new morgue and better facilities.
As the film progresses you do learn about the various characters in the film. (but never a lot) The doctor, prosecutor and the police talk throughout and little by little you learn bits and pieces about their life.
Is that enough? Only you can decide. I think it is well worth seeing if you can spare the time.