Cinema is considered political because it is a mass communication tool with a significant impact on society, and it continues its journey of existence between intervention and struggle. Due to censorship policies that began in the early years of the Republic and continued after the 12 September coup d’etat, independent filmmakers in Turkey struggle to produce films in the face of economic and political pressures. 

 

We spoke with Orhan Eskikoy, director of the films "İki Dil Bir Bavul (Two Languages, One Suitcase)" "Dengê Bavê Min (My Father's Voice)," and "Taş (Stone)," who stated that he was unable to continue his work due to pressure and censorship policies in Turkey but returned to the set after the 6 February earthquake. Eskikoy shared his views on censorship policies in Turkey.

 

He noted that censorship and repressive policies in Turkey increased following the Gezi Park protests and during the state of emergency declared after the 15 July coup attempt, adding that this situation was evident in the funds provided to filmmakers by the Ministry of Culture. Eskikoy stated that he was forced to stop making films due to economic hardship and censorship policies, adding that he was unable to realise his own ideas in order to receive support from the ministry and that he faced serious difficulties during the filming and screening of the film "Taş (Stone)". 

 

RETURN TO CINEMA 

 

Eskikoy stated that, as someone who experienced the Marmara Earthquake, he was affected by the 6 February earthquake centred in Mereş (Maraş) and returned to cinema. He noted that, out of a sense of responsibility to the country, he embarked on the process of recounting what people experienced during the earthquake. "We made this film by creating our own financial conditions with the support of my friends," he said. 

 

'TO CONFRONT AND REMEMBER'

 

Eskikoy presents the story of a family whose home was severely damaged in Hatay and began living in a tent to the audience with an intense silence, in contrast to the noisy nature of the earthquake. He said that the theme of silence that dominates the film is because he believes that shouting about things is of no use. 

 

"The world of the film is generally focused on confrontation and remembrance. I can relate the silence to that. I wanted it to be a film that leaves a mood behind. I expect someone watching the film to ask, 'What needs to be done to avoid experiencing this again?'" 

 

Eskikoy said that the different identity conflicts in his films actually represent Turkey, and stated that as a filmmaker, he is a witness to his own time and therefore tries to tell the story of everyone in the country. 

 

He noted that the film “İki Dil Bir Bavul” is about the inability of a Turkish teacher and Kurdish students to understand each other and aims to show the problem of not being able to receive education in one's mother tongue. 

 

He added: “That class represented this country in a way. It is the story of individuals with different identities in society. In ‘Ev’, it was by chance that my friend took me to Antakya and had connections in Samandag. It is led to my encounter with Arab Alevis there.”

 

FESTIVAL CENSORSHIP

 

Eskikoy, who won the Yılmaz Güney Award at the Adana Golden Pomegranate Film Festival for his film "Ev," stated that he subsequently faced difficulties participating in film screenings and festival competitions due to a speech he gave there. Eskikoy said that his application to the Ankara Film Festival was rejected because he was asked not to make a similar speech. He recalled that the film "İki Dil Bir Bavul" was screened in the year when the Kurdish issue was being discussed. He stated that they had difficulty releasing the film and tried to organise some special screenings.

 

Eskikoy added that after the film "Until the Earth Becomes the Face of Love" was not screened at the Antalya Film Festival in 2014, censorship policies increased due to the lack of a necessary response to censorship by filmmakers. "Solidarity cannot be a form of struggle where organisation has almost completely disappeared. Unfortunately, there is no sense of solidarity that can emerge in times of crisis," Eskikoy said. 

 

'CONSENT IS BEING GENERATED THROUGH CINEMA'

 

Eskikoy stated, "In cinema, consent has been generated in this sense for a very long time. There is a cinema that generates consent, as if the oppressed, in a state of oppression, have accepted everything as if there were no problem at all." He criticised the fact that most filmmakers in Turkey are not concerned with any social issues outside of cinema. 

 

'WE MUST CONFRONT THE TRUTH'

 

Eskikoy emphasised that no social problem can be solved without confronting the truth and concluded: "There will be breaking points, of course. This is not something that will go on forever. We need to know who the people are who will apologise to us. I want to confront everyone. Unless there is such a confrontation, it is not possible for Turkey to get anywhere, to become a prosperous country.”

 

MA / Deniz Karabudak-Sema Bingol