Beyond the Hill

This striking debut by Turkish director Emin Alper is set in an isolated valley in rural Turkey, where a man comes to visit his father, a herdsman, accompanied by his two children. The serene summer’s day, however, is gradually disrupted by the proximity of uninvited guests from beyond the hills, who come to graze their goats on this particular piece of land. The sense of threat slowly builds up, with each side intent on defending their territory. This visually exquisite film, in many ways reminiscent of the work of another successful Turkish filmmaker, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, manages to create a singular atmosphere while, at the same time, drawing attention to the paradoxes of the situations and instilling them with gentle irony. The intruders make it possible for the otherwise diversified family to come together in solidarity, but also to conceal their own guilt. The film may thus be seen not only as a parable about the contemporary Turkish political scene, but also as a testimony of the nature of human society in general. Coproducer Seyfi Teoman, himself an excellent director, tragically died in May of this year. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)