The Wild Pear Tree – Ahlat Agaci (2018)

Directed by: Nuri Bilge Ceylan | 188 minutes | drama | Actors: Dogu Demirkol, Murat Cemcir, Bennu Yildirimlar, Hazar Ergüçlü, Serkan Keskin, Tamer Levent, Öner Erkan, Ahmet Rifat Sungar, Akin Aksu, Kubilay Tunçer, Ercüment Balakogllu, Kadir Çermik, Özay Fechtdic, Sencar Sagecht

On the point of graduation, Sinan (Dogu Demirkol) travels in ‘The Wild Pear Tree’ from the metropolis of Istanbul to a small town somewhere in eastern Turkey. It is not only a journey to his family, but also a journey into the past, with its old customs and traditions. The reunion is not particularly joyous. The family has money problems, especially at the hands of father Idris (Murat Cemcir), who struggles to curb his gambling addiction. The man even seems to lose his sense of reality to such an extent that he plans to dig for water at the highest point of a hill. His teaching profession is only given a perfunctory interpretation. He has lost his status as head of the family.

As a result, the patriarchy, traditionally the parent party in eastern Turkey, is increasingly being contradicted by its female counterpart. The youth also realize that they no longer have to blindly follow the previous generation. Immediately in the first scene, the relationships within the family are effectively put on the chopping block. Although the generation of Sinan’s parents (and grandparents) is not completely without value, the future lies with the youth. At least, that’s what student Sinan thinks in particular. The older characters didn’t have a memo about that. In their view, young people only have a right to exist on the basis of their father’s reputation. The family name as an imperishable constant. A perpetual relay race where the baton is passed down from generation to generation.

Father Idris proves that generation gaps are of all times. The relationship with his own father is no more easy than that with his son. It is a stark vision of the future from which Sinan is frantically trying to escape. He seeks his salvation in literature. A book with personal confessions about his native region becomes the ideal escape route. However, the local publishers and lenders don’t know what to do with the in-depth work. A job as a teacher seems to be the alternative, but there are few vacancies in the sleepy and aging provincial town. Moreover, Sinan does not like to follow his father who is always desperate for money. His book will be a sales success, he has every confidence in that. However, the road from school literature theory to everyday practice is long.

‘The Wild Pear Tree’ is a typical Nuri Bilge Ceylan movie. The director (Golden Palm winner in 2014 with ‘Winter Sleep’) once again takes the time for his reflections. With a running time of three hours, it tends to slow cinema, but the film is perhaps a little too visually lacking for that. Dialogue is key. The camera is idling in the background. The colors are warm, almost sultry. ‘The Wild Pear Tree’ therefore meanders pleasantly, slow but always entertaining. This is partly because the film is slightly less pompous compared to predecessor ‘Winter Sleep’. It’s about the characters, not about the conceptual wealth of ideas behind them. This gives ‘The Wild Pear Tree’ a beautiful life irony between the lines, in which everyone has their flaws and setbacks.