BOATS OUT OF WATERMELON RINDS

BOATS OUT OF WATERMELON RINDS
(Karpuz Kabuğundan Gemiler Yapmak)
Written and directed by Ahmet Ulucay
Cast: İsmail Hakki Taslak, Kadir Kaymaz, Gulayse Erkoc, Boncuk Yilmaz, Hasbiye Gunay, Mustafa Coban, Fizuli Caferov, Ahmet Ulucay
2004, 101 minutes
In Turkish with English subtitles
Synopsis:
In this autobiographical debut feature, Ahmet Ulucay captures the infinite joys of
childhood and the magical hold of cinema on two young boys living in Tepecik, a
small Anatolian village, where Ulucay still lives. Working with a watermelon
vendor and a barber by day, and trying to build a film projector by night, Recep
and Mehmet dream of changing their lives by becoming famous film directors. The
village idiot, Deli Omer, is the sole witness to their exuberant nocturnal labors and
simple longings. But things begin to change when Recep falls for Nihal. Life,
echoing the complicated plot twists of his beloved films, turns out to be quite
complicated, as Recep’s feelings are not reciprocated by Nihal, but by her younger
sister.
“Self-taught director Ahmet Ulucay persisted for more than a decade to fulfill his
dream of making an autobiographical film about his youth in Turkey. The result of
his perseverance and ingenuity is the absolutely charming Boats out of Watermelon
Rinds, a return to the romance, vigor and sweet dreams of adolescence… Shot
entirely on digital video and transferred to 35mm, Boats out of Watermelon Rinds
is lushly painted with inspired plays of color and a keen eye for landscape; it
conjures up a time and place far away, but somehow completely familiar. This is an
infatuating, prodigious debut and a stirring tribute to a lifelong love of the cinema.”
-- Dimitri Eipides, Toronto International Film Festival
“The undoubted discovery of 2004’s Istanbul Film Festival, Boats out of
Watermelon Rinds is an autobiographical charmer by first-time helmer Ulucay,
evoking early teen dreams about girls and movies. Although the combo of first love
and movie obsession is hardly new, writer-director Ulucay brings an engaging
flavor to the material, aided by an acute sense of period and setting, plus tip-top
performances by the whole cast.” -- Variety
About the Director: Ahmet Ulucay
Ahmet ULUCAY was born in 1954 in Tepecik, a village close to Tavsanli, Turkey, and still lives there.
Passionate about moving pictures since childhood, dreaming of becoming a director one-day. Has been making
award winning short films for the last 15 years. Boats Out Of Watermelon Rinds is his first feature length film.
Filmography:
Boats Out Of Watermelon
Rinds (Karpuz Kabugundan
Gemiler Yapmak, 2004)
• Seattle International Film
Festival, Official
Selection (2005)
• Cologne TV and Film
Festival (2005)
• Ankara International
Film Festival, Best
Feature Film (2005)
• SIYAD Film Critics
Association, Best Film,
Best Director, Best
Script (2005)
• Tribeca Film Festival,
Competition for
Narrative Features
(2005)
• Tromso International
Film Festival, Norway
(2005)
• Black Sea Film Festival,
Best Director and Best
Debut Film (2005)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Olympia Film Festival (2005)
London Turkish Film Festival
(2004)
International Thessaloniki
Film Festival, Greece.
International Competition:
Jury Mention (2004)
San Sebastian International
Film Festival, Spain. New
Director Award Section:
Special Jury Prize (2004)
Toronto International Film
Festival, Discovery Section
(2004)
Vienna International Film
Festival (2004)
International Istanbul Film
Festival: Best Film in National
Competition (2004)
Montpellier Mediterranean
Film Festival: Best Feature
Film (2004)
Orhan Ariburnu Award: Best
Feature Film (2004)
The First Morning of Bairam
in Our Village (Short, 1999)
Picture of the Feature Film
(Short, 1999)
• 2nd Cine 5 Short Film
Competition, Third Prize
Sea Shell in the Steppe
(Screenplay, 1998)
• 3rd Esra Film-Kombassan
Foundation Script
Competition, Best Script
Epileptic Film (Short, 1998)
• 10th Ankara International
Film Festival, Best
Film
Pearl in under the Water
(Short, 1996)
• 2nd Antalya International
Short Film Festival,
International Special Jury
Prize
• 18th Istanbul International
Short Film Days, Third
Prize
Dream in Microcosmos (Short,
1995)
• 7th Ankara International
Film Festival, Special Jury
Prize
• 2nd Cine5 Short Film
Competition, Special Jury
Prize
• 17th Istanbul International
Short Film Days, Animation
Award
Middle of Our Village is a
Movie Theatre (Short, 1995)
• 7th Ankara International
Film Festival, Best Film
• Ministry of Culture,
Honorary Prize
Making Wings from Crutches
(Short, 1994)
• 6th Ankara International
Film Festival, Second Prize
Optical Dreams (Short, 1994)
• 6th Ankara International
Film Festival, Special Prize