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Zavalllar
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Wikipedia article
'Zavalllar' is a 1974 Turkish film directed by Ylmaz Gney and written by Ylmaz Gney and Atf Ylmaz. Cast includes Ylmaz Gney, Yldrm nal, Gktrk Gney, Hlya engl, Hakk Gven and Gven engil. It was produced by Gney Film.
After Gney had begun to shoot the film he went behind bars due to the reason that he had sheltered anarchist students at home. The destiny of his film Zavalllar seemed to be similar with those other unfinished films like Eisensteins 'Que Viva Mexico!', and Marilyn Monroes 'Something's Got to Give'. Gney planned to finish this film after his release, but as he winded up behind bars, he was unable to finish it. However, in the archives there were about a 30 minutes taped, and Atf Ylmaz continued upon this with fundamental changes in the scenario. Thus, Zavalllar has a reputation as being an outer film of the man from the inside.
In Gney's films, prison has always been a symbol referring to the first or last station of the bad fate or of being trapped. Prison has been a part of both his films and his individual life. In Zavalllar, however, prison is a place sheltering poor, unemployed, and desperate people and a place where they can eat their fill.
Zavalllar is a film with 3 protagonists: Abuzer (performed by Ylmaz Gney), Arap (performed by Gven engil), and Hac (performed by Yldrm nal). The wretches are people crushed, looked down, excluded by the society, they are real miserables. The film begins with the anxiety of the protagonists about their coming out. They beg to stay at least until spring, because they do not have anyone or any place to which they belong to. The film shows retrospectively the facts that caused them to go behind bars. While telling their story, Ylmaz and Gney touch sorespots of the society, and refer to certain deviating situations.
Arap has been imprisoned because of his employer, against whose unjust behaviour he opposed. His employer promised him a place in a building, that he would use as a little teahouse in return to stand guard of the building during its construction without pay. However, after the construction the employer dishonours his promise, and Arap tried to fight, but he finds himself at the prison. The labour under an illusionment of Arap symbolizes the labor exploitation and lack of social security.
Hac has been imprisoned because of the double-crossing of a prostitute, whom he dreamed to live with. Hac's drama does not only narrates loneliness and lovelessness. At the same time, it shows the by-products of the capitalist order, which develop alongside but which are not visible as long as one keeps out, like worthlessness, prostitution, procuration, and bravado. Abuzer saw his mother killing a man, to whom her husband sold her. After that, Abuzer is pushed to evilness and crime, as he does not have any shelter or a family anymore. The last scene is one which becomes imprinted in the memory of those who watch the film. It makes the fact visible, what an innocent child can become due to the lack of social conscience.
Zavalllar sets forth a lot of problems and conflicts without mentioning their roots. With this approach Gney continues, with the help of Ylmaz, his documentary behaviour. It shows realities without any interpretation to the audience. Again, Zavalllar has an uncertain end like Umut, and most of his other films.
References
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