My Marlon And Brando

Stage actress Ayça, the main character of Hüseyin Karabey's debut feature My Marlon and Brando, refuses to be deterred either by borders she can't cross or by war, terrorism or hatred. Ayça Damgacı, who plays herself in the film, risks a tough journey on her own in order to be reunited with her lover, Hama Ali Khan in the Iraqi town of Süleymaniye. Damgacı and Khan met and fell in love on a film set. When the film finished shooting, Damgacı returned to Istanbul and Khan to Süleymaniye. These was just before the USA invaded Iraq. It was hard even to speak on the phone. Khan sent Damgacı love letters he recorded on video tapes, enlisting the help of truck drivers to get them to her. And Damgacı poured out her feelings in letters. When it came to the script, Hüseyin Karabey didn't write this story exactly as it unfolded. What we have instead is a film that portrays the everyday life of a young woman and her never ending-journey, and in this respect is resonant of Iranian cinema. Through Damgacı, who sets off for Süleymaniye and the man she loves, My Marlon and Brando conveys the impression of a region that never stops being politically explosive. But if Ayça recognises no boundries, neither does the film's director Hüseyin Karabey. For this is a piece of cinema that belongs to the genre of neither fiction nor documentary, but balances between the two. Alin Taşçıyan
Netherlands Turkey France
'
2008


Script
Ayça Damgacı
Hüseyin Karabey

Cinematography
A. Emre Tanyıldız

Editing
Mary Stephen

Production
Huseyin Karabey (A-si Film)

Cast
Ayça Damgacı
Hama Ali Khan
War Emrah Ozdemir
Volga Sorgu Tekinoğlu

Music
Erdal Guney
Huseyin Yildiz
Kemal Sahir Gurel

Awards
Best New Narrative Film Maker Tribeca . Best Actress İstanbul Best Actress Sarajevo
Best Supporting Actor Antalya
Fipresci Prize Golden Apricot Festival
Fipresci Prize Jerusalem

Festivals
14th Festival on Wheels
TURKEY 2008