Okul Tıraşı

Brother’s Keeper
Strict rules prevail at a remote boarding school in the mountains of Anatolia where Turkish teachers educate gifted Kurdish pupils from the surrounding area. Once a week, the boys are allowed to shower and, like everything else here, this process is monitored. One night, twelve-year-old Memo asks his friend Yusuf if he can sleep in his bed. But, afraid of gossip, Yusuf refuses. The next morning, Memo is sick and cannot attend class. The school’s heating has broken down and an icy winter’s day takes its course. Memo’s condition worsens. He is no longer responsive and Yusuf is only allowed to talk when prompted. Gradually, the events of the previous night are revealed.
Ferit Karahan’s finely spun drama illuminates a microcosm marked by poverty and fear. Surrounded by snow and frost, the emotional coldness which prevails between teachers and pupils in this authoritarian educational institution become almost physically tangible.
by Ferit Karahan
with Samet Yıldız, Ekin Koç, Mahir İpek, Melih Selçuk, Cansu Fırıncı, Nurullah Alaca
Turkey / Romania 2021 Turkish, Kurdish 85’ Colour

Part of the Berlinale Summer Special

With

  • Samet Yıldız (Yusuf)
  • Ekin Koç (Selim)
  • Mahir İpek (Principal)
  • Melih Selçuk (Kenan)
  • Cansu Fırıncı (Hamza)
  • Nurullah Alaca (Memo)

Crew

Director Ferit Karahan
Screenplay Ferit Karahan, Gülistan Acet
Cinematography Türksoy Gölebeyi
Editing Sercan Sezgin, Hayedeh Safiyari, Ferit Karahan
Sound Design Srdjan Kurpjel
Sound Kenan Güleşçe
Production Design Tolunay Türköz
Costumes Fevziye Asli Kömür
Make-Up Fulya Demirci
Assistant Director Sunay Terzioğlu
Casting Gözde Elmas, Asiye Kocaman
Production Managers Hakkı Serkan Çapa, Ozan Kaya
Producer Kanat Doğramacı
Executive Producers Tolga Günay, Ayhan Tepegöz, Craciun Alexandru Tudor
Co-Producer Craciun Alexandru Tudor
Co-Production Flama Booking Piatra Neamț

Ferit Karahan

Born in Muş, Turkey in 1983, he first worked as an assistant director before beginning to make his own short films. His debut feature, The Fall from Heaven, won Best Film at the Antalya Film Festival and Best First Film at the Ankara International Film Festival. Okul Tıraşı is his second feature film.

Filmography

2010 Berîya Tofanê (Before the Flood); short film 2011 Xewna Yûsiv (Yusiv’s Dream); short film 2013 Cennetten Kovulmak (The Fall from Heaven) 2021 Okul Tıraşı (Brother’s Keeper)

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2021