June Screenings

THE MAN WHO SAVED THE WORLD
DÜNYAYI KURTARAN ADAM

• Director: Çetin İnanç
• TURKEY / 1982 / DCP / Colour / 91’ / Turkish

• Screenplay: Cüneyt Arkın
• Director of Photography: Çetin Gürtop
• Editing: Necdet Tok
• Cast: Cüneyt Arkın, Aytekin Akkaya, Füsun Uçar, Hüseyin Peyda, Hikmet Taşdemir, Necla Fide
• Producer: Mehmet Karahafız
• Production Co.: Anıt Ticaret
• World Sales: Fanatik Film
• Source: Iain Smiths, Ed Glaser

This film is screened within the Galas section.

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As the 1970s were coming to an end, the Star Wars craze was globally spreading. Space operas kin to Lucas’ franchise were increasing in number and some countries even produced their own imitations of Star Wars. Turkey’s own version came in 1982 with The Man Who Saved the World. Directed by Çetin İnanç, aka “jet director” thanks to his incredulously speedy making of numerous genre films, The Man Who Saved the World was honestly quite different from its counterparts since not only did it inspire from Star Wars, it also “borrowed” certain scenes. This unequalled example of science-fiction meets fighting movie was a box office failure when it opened, but gained cult status when it was rediscovered in the 90s, nicknamed the “Turkish Star Wars.” An improbably irrational screenplay, scenes and soundtrack borrowed from not only Star Wars but also other well-known films, conjoined with terrifically absurd special effects and make-up ideas brought upon it a variety of descriptions ranging from “the worst film of all times” to “a full-fledged midnight movie.” Most definitely living up to its fame, this cult classic was restored and digitally scanned a few years back, and will be screened at the Festival as an homage to the director Çetin İnanç, who will receive the festival’s Honorary Cinema Award this year.

–Engin Ertan

This film was a Meetings on the Bridge participant.