Climates (2006)

The opening scene is probably one of the most effortlessly gripping I’ve seen from contemporary cinema. Few words are exchanged but the intensity from Bahar’s (Ebru Ceylan) facial expression, which is unnerving as anything from the best silent film actors tells it all – there’s something wrong in their relationship. We wonder whether the fault is hers or her husband’s (played by director Nuri Blige Ceylan himself). We see her crying as we hear the sound of a fly. Awestruck, one is left anticipating.

The plot is simple: one summer, the marriage of Isa and Bahar ends, perhaps because of their age gap or simple irreconcilable differences; Isa is a middle-aged professor while the younger Bahar works for a television outfit. Isa then becomes the focal point of the film as we witness his falling out with Bahar, his secret affair with another woman until his eventual decision to get Bahar back after he learns that she has moved away from him to fully pursue her career. Nuri Blige Ceylan weaves all these events with such simplicity and eloquence reminiscent of the great European auteurs like Bergman and Antonioni.

Shot in glorious high definition, “Climates” is a gorgeously photographed film as it is maximized by Ceylan’s array of shots – from his gripping extreme close-ups to his striking wide shots. Ceylan also brilliantly uses the Turkish environment, from architecture to landscapes to the weather, to accentuate the emotions of his characters, as he is able to provide some of the most stunning visual poetry in modern cinema.

Perhaps even more intriguing than the vivid panoramas is the innovative use of sound design to cause drama and tension – note that by sound design I’m talking about ambient sounds and not musical score. From the noise of a fly, to cigarettes ablaze, one is compelled to listen and focus. Frankly speaking, the film is indeed at its best when the actors are silent, with no dialogue exchange; we simply feel the intensity of their emotions amplified by the effective use of sound and photography. Aside from the opening scene, some of the most memorable sequences include the one with Bahar by the beach, the torrid lovemaking of Isa and his other woman, the reunion of Isa and Bahar in Isa’s hotel room and of course, the final scene with Bahar looking up to an airplane.

“Climates” is a sublime character study on human relationships. Its narrative foundation is as simple as its reflection is meticulous. Intelligently directed by Nuri Blige Ceylan, who turns in a potent performance himself, the film is truly an achievement by Turkish Cinema.