Tribeca 2010: When We Leave

Although I have been involved with the Tribeca Film Festival for 6 years, I have only been paying close attention to the World Narrative Award winner for the past 3. ¬†I remember quite clearly when the “Swedish vampire movie” (“Let the Right One In) was announced the winner back in 2008. ¬†I was a bit surprised that Tribeca would go with a film like that. ¬†The film had already developed a bit of a cult following, but still…wasn’t Tribeca the NY film festival that wasn’t the New York Film Festival? ¬†Why would they go with a foreign horror film? ¬†Then I saw the movie and knew there was no other choice. It was unlike any other movie showing that year and absolutely deserved the win.

After the previous year’s pick of “Taxi to the Dark Side” which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, I was convinced that 2008 would be the year Tribeca awarded the future Best Foreign Film. ¬†However, it wasn’t meant to be. ¬†For me (even though I’m sure the trend already existed…even though I wasn’t following the category as closely as others) this was the moment I realized the real flaws in the FF category. ¬†”Let the Right One In” didn’t even make the final 5. ¬†Last year, the Iranian film “About Elly” won the top prize. ¬†Although I really enjoyed the film, it didn’t pack the punch as the previous year’s winner. ¬†And although it was Iran’s pick for the Academy Award, I knew it didn’t stand a chance.

Now, in 2010, Tribeca has chosen the German film, “When We Leave,” directed beautifully by “Feo Aladag,” as their winner.

WAIT A MINUTE. ¬†I just realized something. ¬†I was going to focus on the fact that “When We Leave” was such a powerful film, anchored by a top notch, nuanced, delicate (add any positive adjective you want…they are all deserving) performance by Sibel Kekilli (who also won Tribeca’s Best Actress prize) that the Academy could not ignore it. ¬†BUT…isn’t there a rule that the majority of dialogue must be in the language of the country the film is representing? ¬†How much was in German, and how much was in Turkish?

I really don’t want this to be a piece about the idiocy of the Foreign Film rules, but now it’s all I can really think about. ¬†OK…best to focus on the film and Kekilli’s performance. ¬†And perhaps, if the film is seen and loved by enough people, and succumbs to the rules, Kekilli will get the edge (and sympathy) she needs to become a part of the conversation for Best Actress.

As per usual, I don’t want to give too much away about the film. ¬†But, I have to give you something, right? ¬†Should I start with the fact that I watched the movie in the the press center because I couldn’t fit it into my schedule…and that I had a mini sobfest in the last 20 minutes of the movie? ¬†Picture it: me sitting at a computer, surrounded by 6 other press folk, having a breakdown. ¬†At the time, it wasn’t funny, but I would love to see some CCTV footage of that. ¬†But don’t get me wrong. ¬†It’s heartbreaking. ¬†And the subject matter is intense, but this is a must see film. ¬†Umay’s (Kekilli) challenges are enormous, but every step she takes is inspirational.

Umay is a young Turkish woman who has a beautiful young boy, Cem, and is in an unhappy marriage with a husband who beats her and (we assume) her child. ¬†But we are dealing with ¬†a patriarchal social system that doesn’t give her much of a choice. ¬†When she confronts her father he says something to the extent of…he is your husband, and…the hand that beats is also the hand that soothes. ¬†But, this film showed something I wasn’t expecting. ¬†In a weaker film, the father would have shunned her had she left her husband (which she does…and I don’t think I’m giving too much away here) and not given it a second thought. ¬†But it is clear both her father and mother love Umay very much. ¬†And it pains them to follow tradition and abandon her, but they clearly have no choice. ¬†Right? ¬†I found not only Umay’s passion for giving Cem (and herself) a better life, but also this internal conflict to be the driving forces of the film.

I honestly don’t think I can say much more, other than the fact that the film deals with the sacrifice of independence. ¬†What does Umay have to sacrifice in the end for her independence? ¬†And was it worth it? ¬†I can tell you, I have been trying to answer that question since I stopped sobbing and am not sure I will have an answer any time soon.