Faruk

Followed by a talk with Aslı Özge (15. + 29.10.)

A poignant blend of documentary and fiction, Aslı Özge’s award-winning film Faruk centers on her 95-year-old father, Faruk Özge, who plays a fictionalized version of himself. When his Istanbul apartment building faces imminent demolition due to rampant gentrification, Faruk becomes the unwitting protagonist of his daughter’s film, which documents his resistance to the loss of his home and the memories embedded within its walls.

As he navigates building management meetings and confronts the inevitability of change, the line between reality and performance blurs. Shot over seven years, the evolving landscape of Istanbul becomes a central character, showing the impacts of urban transformation and the widespread housing crisis.

Özge’s metafictional approach, which includes glimpses of the filmmaking process, adds layers to this intimate portrait of how people and memories age and transform. Faruk is a witty, heartfelt ode to resilience and the quiet poetry of everyday life. (BH)