Why Sibel, A Turkish Drama is A Must Watch

One of the entries at the 17^th Pune International Film Festival (10^th January - 17 th January 2019), in the Global Cinema Section, was the Turkish drama, Sibel. Set in a secluded village in Turkey’s Black Sea region, this is the story of Sibel. A 25-year old mute girl, she communicates through an ancestral whistle language. Rejected by the villagers, she is driven by a single motive, to hunt down a wolf on the prowl. Its existence has sparked rumours and fear among the villagers. Killing the wolf is important for her as she believes it will make the villagers accept her.

Things happen rapidly when she is ambushed by a fugitive while trying to hunt down the wolf. Sibel takes care of the man, who is hurt and has nowhere to go. She is oblivious to the fact that he is a wanted fugitive. He sees her in a completely different light than others. For the first time perhaps in her life, she feels wanted and cared for and becomes aware of her sexuality. Things take a downturn when suspicions about her liaison with the fugitive are expressed by the local police to her father, the village chief. Her father and her spiteful sister are ashamed of her. But her spirit is undying. Her self-esteem is not easily shattered. That, you feel is the core of the entire story. The climax involves the whole talk about her involvement in suspicious activities dying down.

Sibel literally transports you into another world. It introduces you to that aspect of Turkish culture that hardly any of us know. The pace of the film, the lead actor, Damla Sönme, is fantastic. Her expressions are palpable. There are times when you can strongly feel Sibel’s helplessness rising from her inability to talk, through her gestures and expressions. One scene particularly stands out when she goes to the fugitive’s hideout and he is gone. Her pain when she can’t find him makes her want to howl and scream, but she can’t. Her expressions in that scene are simply indescribable. On the flipside, you think what is the reason for the villagers to reject her. That said, the supporting cast makes a mark too. The fugitive, played by Erkan Kolçak Köstendil has played the part beautifully, with its nuances and predictability. Further, the camerawork is great, especially in the scenes where the lead wanders in the forest. Directors Guillaume Giovanetti, Çağla Zencirci have brought about the strength of Sibel’s character beautifully. The background music seamlessly merges with the story. It doesn’t come as a surprise that this film has won a number of awards at numerous film festivals across the globe. By the time the end credits start rolling on the screen, you can’t stop feeling inspired and amazed. You also feel that if all women were like her, then there would perhaps be no need for chest-beating discussions about women empowerment.