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ARCHIVE

8th(2006)



The Play / Oyun

Pelin Esmer

  • Turkey
  • 2005
  • 70min
  • Digi-beta
  • color

SYNOPSIS

In the countryside of southern Turkey, 9 women plan to stage a play based on their real lives at the local school. They write the script, design the stage, make costumes, and encourage one another. The Play is a strong, funny feminist film peopled with many lovely characters who exhibit a keen sense of humor, despite the harshness of their lives.
 Though the phrase, ¡°to me, life is a theatre,¡± may indicate that life has been dramatic and filled with trials and tribulations,. it actually points to so much more than just tragedy. Through the performative process of acting, real life can be transformed like in a play. On stage, a hairdresser fulfills her childhood dream of becoming a teacher, while she also takes care of costumes and hairdos. A woman who wishes to be a tough laborer plays a man with moustache and steps in as stage carpenter. Another woman who first conceived of the idea of performing directs the play and inspires a feminist consciousness in the others. This documentary starts with a stage introduction and ends with the play on stage, showing the whole process of creatubg the play itself. A play becomes life, and life becomes a play. Within the deconstructiveness and performativity of the play is enfolded yet another performance, the documentary itself, where women find themselves. These women are the best actresses and true feminists. (Cho Hye-young)

PROGRAM NOTE

In the countryside of southern Turkey, 9 women plan to stage a play based on their real lives at the local school. They write the script, design the stage, make costumes, and encourage one another. The Play is a strong, funny feminist film peopled with many lovely characters who exhibit a keen sense of humor, despite the harshness of their lives.
 Though the phrase, ¡°to me, life is a theatre,¡± may indicate that life has been dramatic and filled with trials and tribulations,. it actually points to so much more than just tragedy. Through the performative process of acting, real life can be transformed like in a play. On stage, a hairdresser fulfills her childhood dream of becoming a teacher, while she also takes care of costumes and hairdos. A woman who wishes to be a tough laborer plays a man with moustache and steps in as stage carpenter. Another woman who first conceived of the idea of performing directs the play and inspires a feminist consciousness in the others. This documentary starts with a stage introduction and ends with the play on stage, showing the whole process of creatubg the play itself. A play becomes life, and life becomes a play. Within the deconstructiveness and performativity of the play is enfolded yet another performance, the documentary itself, where women find themselves. These women are the best actresses and true feminists. (Cho Hye-young)

Director

  • Pelin EsmerPelin Esmer

    Born in 1972 in Istanbul, Pelin Esmer majored in sociology at Bogazici University. After graduating, she took lessons at Z1 film workshop. She was the assistant director in a number of Turkish and foreign projects. Her first film, the documentary The Collector (2002) received the Best Documentary Award at Rome Independent Films Festival and won third place at Ankara Film Festival. It is also included in the Harvard Film Archive. She is currently a lecturer at Kadir Has University Film Radio and TV Department. The Play is her first feature length film.

Credit

  • ProducerPelin Esmer
  • Cast Arslankoy Village Theater Group
  • Screenwriter Pelin Esmer
  • Cinematography Pelin Esmer
  • Editor Pelin Esmer
  • Music Mazlum Cimen