Once Upon a Time in Anatolia

2011 Direcor Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Murder mysteries rarely run as deep as this long, dark night of the soul from Turkish filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan. He is a master of brooding stories defined by their wry questioning of human nature and often focused on men in crisis. He has an unflinching eye for the worst in all of us and for the black comedy and absurd banalities of everyday life.

For his sixth film, Ceylan has chosen his bleakest canvas yet: a murder investigation that begins in the dark wilds of the great Anatolian outdoors and ends in the cold light of an autopsy room. In tone, it’s Ceylan’s most epic and talky film yet. But don’t be fooled – it’s also his most mysterious and meditative.We meet a group of a dozen policemen, soldiers and others as they drive about on the steppes one night in search of a body with the two men suspected of burying it. It’s an ensemble piece, and for much of its 158-minute running time, the film itself feels like a painful, fruitless inquiry as it seeks themes, subjects and characters to latch on to. It’s a police procedural, yes, but you imagine that’s just an excuse to bring together a varied group of men in the face of a terrible event. It’s very far indeed from a traditional whodunnit and much more like a compelling, masterly journey.

The Arrival of Wang

2010 Director Antinio Manetti

This is a remarkable low budget Science fiction film from Italy, that is not exactly known for this genre. Set almost entirely in one room this could easily be a play.

An interpreter based in Rome, whose speciality is Mandarin Chinese gets a call about a very highly paid but mysterious job for a government agency. The money is too good to turn down, so within 20 minutes she is in a car wearing a blindfold being whisked away to a secret location. She is to work with an investigator translating his questions during the interrogation of a suspect. Such is the secrecy of the operation that the interrogation is to be conducted in darkness so Gaia cannot see the subject Senior Wang. She does not know what Wang is accused of, she does not know what agency Curti works for, and as the interview progresses she suddenly finds herself way out of her depth. Ultimately she is moved to seize an opportunity to take matters into her own hands leading to an ending which has a sting in the tail.

The Manetti Brothers’ The Arrival of Wang presents a challenge for a reviewer. The film has a central conceit that it is probably better not to know too much about. Francesca Cuttica is very good in the film as she has to carry the bulk of it, and does so admirably. Yes, the lack of budget shows and there are tacky moments, but as an overall experience I was both fascinated and surprised by the outcome.