Demet Adiguzel Annotation

Three Monkeys

Three Monkeys is Turkish director/writer Nuri Bilge Ceylan's fifth full-length film. Revolving around a mid-class family, the story takes place in Istanbul which Mr Ceylan successfully involves in the background as a major element in the film. As his previous films, Three Monkeys also gets its intense expression from the cleverly shot locations as well as the strong plot. The film starts with a hit-and-run accident in a dark road. The perpetrator Servet, which is a politician during an election, makes an agreement with his driver Eyup, to take the fall for him in exchange for large amount of money. His wife Hacer has to deal with their son Ismail's depression caused by his failure in University exams. In all her worries she decides to ask for some of the money in advance from Servet and not tell it to Eyup who is sentenced to stay in prison for nine months. She ends up having an affair and later desperately obsessing with Servet - who is also married. Events transpire on the day Eyup is out, not exactly predictable but expected to fit the general tone of the film.

The dysfunctional, broken family portrait is well achieved by sullen actings and the long takes; the actors' relation between the locations and dramatic compositions also build the bitter mood. The story also implies the corruption in Turkish political scene and Mr Ceylan uses cultural elements wisely to build the common atmosphere of mid-class with all its problems and sufferings.

Mr Ceylan won the 'Best Director' award in Cannes Film Festival in 2008 with Three Monkeys, which was not his first success in the international arena. In his acceptance speech he said : "I want to dedicate this prize to my lonely and beautiful country which I love passionately."