– In his first foray into the world of feature film, Gürcan Keltek follows a descent into madness against the backdrop of Istanbul’s lush topography
Turkish screenwriter and director Gürcan Keltekknown for his meditative and atmospheric films, makes his first foray into fiction with New dawn fades (+see also:
Trailer
Interview: Gürcan Keltek
Film profile)is in competition at Locarno. The film follows Akın (Cem Yiğit Uzümoğlu), a man trying to keep his grip on reality while experiencing a series of psychotic episodes. Set against the backdrop of Istanbul’s historical and religious monuments, the narrative unfolds over 72 hours, showing Akın’s oscillation between fleeting moments of lucidity and a gradual descent into delusions and hallucinations. Exploring the delicate line between sanity and insanity, Keltek uses a documentary-influenced, introspective narrative characterized by long takes and a non-linear passage of time.
Keltek’s earlier works, such as Meteors (+see also:
Film review
Trailer
Interview: Gürcan Keltek
Film profile) And Gulyabaniare characterized by their contemplative pace, their striking use of natural landscapes, and a tendency to blur the lines between the real and the surreal. These elements are evident in his full-length feature debut, where the blending of documentary observation with experimental filmmaking intensifies as Akın’s inner turmoil progresses from paranoia and anxiety to full-blown psychosis. The film also touches on themes of displacement, identity, and existential angst, integrating them seamlessly into Akın’s psychological journey.
As Akın wanders around Istanbul, he becomes increasingly entangled in the city’s topography and is drawn to sites of religious significance, such as the former church and now mosque Hagia Sophia. The film hints at the occult, although the exact cause of the protagonist’s mental breakdown remains unclear. References to religion suggest an episode of divine madness culminating in an apocalyptic vision, as the film delves into the myths produced by the subconscious.
camera Peter Zeitlingera frequent collaborator of Werner Herzog, ensures that the fluid movements of the camera and the intimate proximity to the protagonist create a sense of immersion. The film places great emphasis on urban architecture and captures it with hypnotic poetry. New dawn fades evolves into a docufictional psychogeographical journey that navigates the heights of religious ecstasy and the depths of despair at a slow but rapturous pace. The film skilfully captures the alternations between moments of clarity and confusion, conveying a deep sense of vulnerability as Akın’s reality crumbles into delusions, a place where faith, identity and reason collide.
The surreal experience offered here borders on the mytho-poetic realm, as Akın succumbs to his delusions, and while New dawn fades While it remains deliberately opaque in terms of conventional storytelling, it offers an emotional and sensory exploration that invites reflection on the nature of reality and the constructs of mental health.
New dawn fades is a Turkish-Italian-German-Norwegian-Dutch co-production by Vigo Film, co-produced by Slingshot Films, 29P Films, The StoryBay and Fidalgo Productions. Heretic is handling international distribution.
