Pains of Autumn
Encyclopedia
Pains of Autumn is a 2009 Turkish drama film
, directed by Tomris Giritlioğlu, based on the novel by Yilmaz Karakoyunlu. The film, which went on nationwide general release across Turkey on , was one of the highest-grossing Turkish films of 2009
.
, Turkey
from 3 August - 29 September 2008. Post production was completed on 23 January 2009.
, during the Pogrom
of September 1955. Behçet (Murat Yildirim) is the only son of a father, in whom the government and the bureaucracy
take a close interest due to his strong influence in Antakya
. While he is working as an assistant researcher in the faculty of law in Istanbul, he falls under the sway of the extreme nationalist
movement as a result of his upbringing and the influential role model
of his father. The only thing that causes Behçet to stumble on this is Elena, a woman he secretly observes from his apartment. She is a Greek
prostitute, who has been exploited by her grandmother after her mother had left them. Elena is aware that she is being observed by Behçet and falls in love with him. They get close to each other which does not please Behçet's father and his political party
. The death of his friend Suat and the role that his father plays with the leaders of the party to exterminate the opposition and even the tolerated voices force Behçet to reconsider his political belonging. Behçet finds Elena alive after being hit by the activist. He takes her and remembers the words she said while lying on the bed in her apartment.
and has made a total worldwide gross of $3,388,636.
September 6–7 was our Kristallnacht, Rev. Dositheos Anagnostopulous, a spokesman for the Greek Orthodox Church in Istanbul said, The chances of something like this happening again are slim, because Turkish youth today are more critical in their thinking. But to be sure, they need to learn that this catastrophe occurred, that's why the film is important.
A film like this might be just a film in another country, Mahçupyan continued, because there's been a vacuum and this issue was never discussed, the film now fulfils an important mission.
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
, directed by Tomris Giritlioğlu, based on the novel by Yilmaz Karakoyunlu. The film, which went on nationwide general release across Turkey on , was one of the highest-grossing Turkish films of 2009
Turkish films of 2009
A list of films produced by the Turkish film industry in Turkey in 2009.- Highest-grossing films :- January – June :- July – December :- References :...
.
Production
Production for the film, originally planned for 2002, commenced on 1 June 2008. The film was shot on location in IstanbulIstanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
from 3 August - 29 September 2008. Post production was completed on 23 January 2009.
Plot
The story is set in IstanbulIstanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, during the Pogrom
Istanbul Pogrom
The Istanbul riots , were mob attacks directed primarily at Istanbul's Greek minority on 6–7 September 1955. The riots were orchestrated by the Turkish government under Adnan Menderes. The events were triggered by the false news that the Turkish consulate in Thessaloniki, north Greece—the...
of September 1955. Behçet (Murat Yildirim) is the only son of a father, in whom the government and the bureaucracy
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
take a close interest due to his strong influence in Antakya
Antakya
Antakya is the seat of the Hatay Province in southern Turkey, near the border with Syria. The mayor is Lütfü Savaş.Known as Antioch in ancient times, the city has historical significance for Christianity, as it was the place where the followers of Jesus Christ were called Christians for the first...
. While he is working as an assistant researcher in the faculty of law in Istanbul, he falls under the sway of the extreme nationalist
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
movement as a result of his upbringing and the influential role model
Role model
The term role model generally means any "person who serves as an example, whose behaviour is emulated by others".The term first appeared in Robert K. Merton's socialization research of medical students...
of his father. The only thing that causes Behçet to stumble on this is Elena, a woman he secretly observes from his apartment. She is a Greek
Greeks in Turkey
The Greeks in Turkey constitute a population of Greek and Greek-speaking Eastern Orthodox Christians who mostly live in Istanbul, including its district Princes' Islands, as well as on the two islands of the western entrance to the Dardanelles: Imbros and Tenedos .They are the remnants of the...
prostitute, who has been exploited by her grandmother after her mother had left them. Elena is aware that she is being observed by Behçet and falls in love with him. They get close to each other which does not please Behçet's father and his political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
. The death of his friend Suat and the role that his father plays with the leaders of the party to exterminate the opposition and even the tolerated voices force Behçet to reconsider his political belonging. Behçet finds Elena alive after being hit by the activist. He takes her and remembers the words she said while lying on the bed in her apartment.
Release
The film opened in 180 screens across Turkey on at number one in the Turkish box office chart with an opening weekend gross of $555,543.| Date | Territory | Screens | Rank | Opening Weekend Gross | Total Gross | As Of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey Turkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe... |
180 | 1 | $555,543 | $3,105,177 | 8/23/09 | |
| Greece Greece Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... |
17 | 4 | $90,966 | $254,157 | 5/24/09 | |
| Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
21 | 37 | $15,447 | $28,179 | 5/10/09 | |
| Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
3 | 36 | $1,123 | $1,123 | 5/3/09 |
Box office
The film was the sixth highest grossing Turkish film of 2009Turkish films of 2009
A list of films produced by the Turkish film industry in Turkey in 2009.- Highest-grossing films :- January – June :- July – December :- References :...
and has made a total worldwide gross of $3,388,636.
Public controversy
Television talk shows and newspapers have covered both the film and the discussion of the events on which it is based. Its makers say the public debate is a result of an easing of curbs on freedom of expression accompanying Turkey's drive to meet European Union membership standards. This film couldn't have been made 10 years ago, screen writer Etyen Mahçupyan told Today's Zaman, Though the laws on the books still limit free speech, the reality is there's less and less that can't be criticized.September 6–7 was our Kristallnacht, Rev. Dositheos Anagnostopulous, a spokesman for the Greek Orthodox Church in Istanbul said, The chances of something like this happening again are slim, because Turkish youth today are more critical in their thinking. But to be sure, they need to learn that this catastrophe occurred, that's why the film is important.
A film like this might be just a film in another country, Mahçupyan continued, because there's been a vacuum and this issue was never discussed, the film now fulfils an important mission.