Written and directed by Çınar Nazım İleri, ‘Repetitions’ is a 2024 feature length Turkish drama that stars Yeliz Yeşil İleri and Nalan Tosun. The film chronicles the tale of a woman who finds herself unravelling as she fluctuates between the dark echoes of her past and her dying mother’s treatment. Forced to confront her past, Inci finds that while history does not repeat, it sure does rhyme.
Çınar Nazım İleri’s ‘Repetitions’ works on multiple levels. It is a complex, richly layered drama that pulls you right in, makes you ask difficult questions and manages to impress you greatly by the time it ends. The acting is potent and the main character manages to give a powerful performance that echoes the nuances of the story whilst showcasing the actor’s command of the arts. For an hour long film, the narrative pacing is perfect. As it jumps between the past and present, Çınar Nazım İleri ensures each moment has its own breathing room. The camera lingers from time to time and on other occasions, close ups of the protagonist convey the uncomfortableness that the director wants the audience to experience. The long and towering drone shot above the cemetery at the start sets the tone for the entire film, ensuring that the audience realises the odyssey of gloom about to transpire. Equally impressive is the set design, perfectly mirroring the film’s tone and subtext.
Çınar Nazım İleri’s creative decision to intersperse the past and present between steel blue and cold grey does wonders. Not only does it aid the narrative but it also makes the film look absolutely stunning. Our protagonist is stuck in two realities, both of which are draining her and the colours chosen do well to represent the predicament that she finds herself in.
Thus, ‘Repetitions’ is a fascinating film, one that hits you right where you are most vulnerable. Çınar Nazım İleri has managed to create a story that not only resonates with some of our deepest fears but also succeeds on multiple thematic levels. Weaving a story of personal pain into a tale of perseverance and resurgence, ‘Repetitions’ soars above and beyond as director Çınar Nazım İleri takes us all on a journey that will stay with you long after it has ended. Sure to be a mainstay of upcoming festivals, ‘Repetitions’ is masterful filmmaking at its finest and we can’t wait to see what Çınar Nazım İleri comes up with next.
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