TÜRKÇE SAYFA

BACKGROUND TO GEZI PARK PROTESTS

Sparked by the felling of a single tree on the morning of May 31st 2013, Gezi Park in central Istanbul witnessed the largest wave of protests in recent Turkish history. Hundreds of thousands took to the streets to protest the proposed demolition of the park to make way for an Ottoman-style shopping centre, a project pushed personally by prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The government's uncompromising stance and a heavy-handed police crackdown on protesters led to the protests quickly spreading all over Turkey, turning an initial environmental movement into a revolt against the increased authoritarianism of the country's leader. Two weeks after the start of the revolt police forces violently evicted all protesters from Gezi Park. The protests took a heavy human toll: eight people died about 8,000 were injured, 104 sustained serious head injuries and 11 people lost an eye, a result of plastic bullets.

The toll Erdoğan eventually exacted on Turkish democracy was no less severe. He purged the police and judiciary of critics and passed laws that weakened constitutional checks and balances on the executive. In an attempt to stifle all criticism, the pressure on the media has increased, Twitter and YouTube were closed down for months.

DIRECTOR'S APPROACH Reknowned director Mustafa Altioklar wrote the script as a docudrama, revolving around the tragic story of two young people whose love flourishes at the Gezi Park barricades with a backdrop of tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets and riot police. As both the writer and director, he meticulously planned all scenes to make extensive use of real-life footage shot during the protests. Acted scenes will be mixed with the real-life footage to result in a plain, realistic and highly effective production approach. Altioklar recognized that the Gezi protests that made history as a rebellious uprising against the perceived “Sacred Father” by masses aspiring for a just, free and sharing world. He feels that a film on these events should be brought to life in a widely collaborative effort, in keeping with the spirit of the protests that brought such a wide spectrum of people together – struggling, resisting and suffering for a common cause. He is therefore encouraging all to contribute ideas, memories, materials; and to be personally involved in all phases of the project from the reshaping of the draft script to the final production.

PRODUCER'S APPROACH

Producer Nida Karabol was immediately impressed with the project, which she knew Altıoklar had conceived while tending to the wounded as a volunteer doctor in the make-shift infirmary in Gezi Park even as tear gas and rubber bullets were raining down. She recognizes that Altıoklar is in a unique position to tell this story as an “insider” who witnessed and observed the momentous events and unfolding dramas first hand.

Karabol also believes the historic events, that affected a whole nation and even extended beyond its borders, must be immortalized with a cinema film.

WHY YOUR HELP IS ESSENTIAL Firstly, this is a non-profit venture. All funding will be used in the making of the film and any surplus, as well as proceeds from the film, is to be donated to other non-profit ventures and/or organizations. Secondly, the current repressive situation in Turkey makes it almost impossible to secure funding for a project that goes against the government's liking. Media and even businesses feel the autocratic pressure daily and the government, with all forces at its disposal, acts promptly and forcefully at the slightest whiff of public dissent. It is, of course, futile to apply to the Ministy of Culture for support funds for a project like this. The total production cost is expected to reach 1,000,000 US$. We can cover about half of this thanks to several industry professionals who have agreed to provide their services voluntarily and through some personal funds. For the balance of 500,000 US$, we are asking for your contributions. Gezi was all about community, getting together, contributing from one self, supporting each other, and helping out. Crowd-funding is obviously the right - perhaps the only – way to do this in keeping with the Gezi philosophy. So help us realize this dream. You can make it happen!

LOGLINE

#OCCUPYGEZI is tragic love story that flourishes during the chaotic days of rebellious uprising of a youthful generation that took to the streets in defiance of the "sacred father". We follow their extraordinary story manning barricades, under tear gas and plastic bullets, at make-shift street infirmaries, and finally reaching a conclusion that makes a strong statement.

Özgür leads a life of ordinary comfort, thanks to his conformist family with business ties to the ruling party. His chance meeting with Gezi protester Serin kindles an awakening in him bringing out his free spirit that he didn't realize before. But events also lead him to an inevitable choice between his comfortable life surrounded by similar white-collar friends and a wildly different life of love and freedom.

SYNOPSIS

The film starts early on a calm spring morning at dusk with police forces raiding and burning the tents that the few intitial protesters had set up at Gezi Park the previous night. Serin is among the few protesters that are evicted forcefully from the park with tear gas and battons. Her single tweet “THEY ARE KILLING THE TREES AND US AS WELL” triggers an avalanche of social media support with the hashtag “@resistGezi”. In no time, thousands of young people gather in Gezi Park and adjoining Taksim Square. While the heavily controlled Turkish media reports nothing of this, police brutality is documented and shared widely by individuals in social media. Only a single small TV channel, HalkTV is broadcasting from Taksim, but that helps raise awareness.

The prime minister’s condescending attitude is creatively rebuffed. When he calls the protesters “looters” (çapulcu) their response is dancing to newly created tune of chapulling. When Erdoğan calls them “drunkards” they chant slogans of “to your health, Erdoğan”. As the protests gather steam, Serin is always at the front braving water cannons. In the meantime, Özgür is attending the board of directors meeting at his father’s firm. They all watch on TV Serin standing up to a police vehicle, and then being hurled into the air by a water-cannon and hitting her head on the curb.

The future victims of the events are totally unaware of each other at that time. Ali Ismail is at his university campus with friends in Eskişehir, Ethem is having a cup of his mother’s tea at their balcony in Ankara, Mehmet is washing dishes at the restaurant he works in in Istanbul, Abdocan is attentively listening to the news at the party quarters in Hatay, Berkin catches sight of events in a TV screen at a bakery, 

Medeni is having his breakfast of yoghurt and bread, Mustafa is donning a t-shirt of his football team’s fan group (Çarşı) on which he wears his riot police uniform - the fans meanwhile stirring in their Istanbul district; the young girl in Izmir who is going to be wildly pulled by the hair by the police in the afternoon is only leaving home packing in her bag her mother’s bakeries, the Red Dress Lady is boarding a bus. Their chances of ever getting to meet is going to be forcefully terminated soon, but before that they’ll be retweeting eachother “#ResistGEZI” “#ResistANKARA” “#ResistIZMIR” “#ResistHATAY” “#ResistTURKEY”

As the protests develop, Özgür who starts to despise his comfortable, cocooned life can no longer stay different and releases himself from his fiancee’s arms and their silk lined bed to visit Gezi Park one night. What he sees there is a miracle to him, a miracle in harmony, a miracle in dignity. But soon, the first tear gas arrives and Özgür finds himself coughing and tears streaming from his eyes. His lungs are burning and he starts vomiting. Hearing ahout of “raise your head!”, he turns towards the forceful sound of a young girl with a hard-hat and a gas mask too big for her face. The alien-like being is holding a bottle of white liquid up close and before he knows it, she presses a trigger to spurt the medicinal mixture over  his face. Riot police attack even stronger and they are running hard together to get out when an unlucky gas canister hits Serin at the temple. Özgür carries the unconscious Serin reaching the make-shift infirmary setup by the protesters in front of Divan Hotel. This chance meeting will start them on their inevitable tragectory. Their relation will develop with ups and downs. 

While Özgür and Serin rebel agains their sacred fathers in their micro worlds, millions of young people are risking their lives resisting against an authoritarian ruler that sees himself as the sacred father.

In the background, the noble resistance of the collective spirit of Gezi protests paints a much larger picture of chivalry, dignified values, tolerance for all, conciliation of differences, solidarity, grace, disporportionate sense of humour; with people at extreme poles getting together with understanding, with opposing views practicing tolerance, with shared food and possessions, with pianists, accordeonists, LGBTs, with doctors in handcuffs, with lawyers dragged by police on the floor and of course, with our lost sons that we had to bury in our hearts.

IN KIND CONTRIBUTION, SO FAR...

THECNICAL

M6:  Animation+Credits

ISTANBUL STUDIOS:  Picture editing+Sound Design

M-POST STUDIO: Color Correction+Print copies

ON-AIR MEDIA REFLEX:  Sound recorder+Microphones

ONUR ALBAYRAK: Sound mixer+Boom

SOUNDTRACK

DUMAN

İREM CANDAR

BULUTSUZLUK ÖZLEMİ/NEJAT YAVAŞOĞULLARI

REDD/DOĞAN DURU

OGÜN SANLISOY

ŞEHRAZAT

KIVANÇ-K

MERT TÜNAY

AYŞE SARAN

ON-AIR MEDIA REFLEX

CREW

PHOTOGRAPHER: Mehmet Turgut

SOUNDTRACK SUPERVISOR: Izzet Oz

CAMERAMAN: Ozcan Tekdemir

EDITORS: Çağrı Ece + Yağız Mehdi +

COSTUME DESIGNER: Barbaros Şansal

ART DIRECTORS: Sıla Karakaya + Pınar Çakı + Başak Çakı

1ST AD: TUNA DİLLİGİL

SET EKİBİ: Melih Sezgin

STARS

MENDERES SAMANCILAR

ORHAN AYDIN

MELİKE DEMİRAĞ

ORHAN ALKAYA

ESİN YILDIZ

BARBAROS ŞANSAL

RIZA SÖNMEZ

BERKE UZREK

KAAN ERKAM

SILA KARAKAYA

DENİZ GÜRZUMAR

GUEST DIRECTORS

SERDAR AKAR: Ethem Sarısülük sahneleri yönetmeni

MEDIA & PR SUPPORTERS

SEZİN SİVRİ