Short Films

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Cinemania

BLACK HEAD
KARA KAFA

• Director: Korhan Yurtsever
• TURKEY / 1979 / DCP / Colour / 76’ / Turkish, German; Turkish,  English s.t.

• Screenplay: Bülent Oran, Levent Ersin, Zehra İpşiroğlu, Korhan Yurtsever
• Director of Photography: George Becker, Muzaffer Turan, Salih Dikişçi
• Editing: Korhan Yurtsever
• Cast: Betül Aşçıoğlu, Savaş Yurttaş, Cüneyt Kaymak, Özlem Güler, Macit Flordun, Gülsen Tuncer, Ercan Demirel, Bülent Oran, Wolfgang Esch, Bahri Ateş
• Producer: Korhan Yurtsever
• Production Co.: Korhan Film
• World Sales: Arsenal

Black Head, which was banned for years, tells the story of a labourer named Cafer, who takes his wife and two children to Germany after returning from a holiday in Turkey, his adventures in Germany with his wife and children, his unemployment and subsequent conflict with his wife who gains a certain perspective after being involved with political organisations. Director Korhan Yurtsever, who worked as a sound technician from dubbing to editing for years, was an assistant director in 55 films, and won great success and many awards with his debut Fırat’ın Cinleri / Jinn, co-wrote Black Head’s screenplay with master screenwriter Bülent Oran. The film was shot in 1979, and the censorship board banned its screenings in Turkey and abroad in 1980 on the grounds that it was ‘dishonouring the friendly country, Germany.’ Upon an investigation against himself, Korhan Yurtsever settled in Berlin, where he lived in exile for years. The film’s exoneration came in 2012 when it finally had its world premiere at the Antalya Film Festival. Black Head will be screened at the Istanbul Film Festival from the copy restored from the original negatives, which was shown at the 2023 Berlin Film Festival. Black Head was restored by Arsenal – Institute for Film and Video Art in collaboration with bi’bak / Sinema Transtopia (2021–22).

This film is screened with the generous support of German Films.

This film was a Meetings on the Bridge participant.