Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s New Film “About Dry Grasses”

Nuri Bilge Ceylan, one of Türkiye’s most prestigious filmmakers, has released his latest movie, About Dry Grasses (originally titled Kuru Otlar Üstüne). Set amidst the challenging terrain of Eastern Anatolia, this profound drama captures the attention of cinema enthusiasts worldwide. This guide provides a Turkish summary of the film’s core narrative while offering an extensive compilation of information centered around Nuri Bilge Ceylan and Pınar Deniz. Enriched with details about the film crew, production process, awards, and the dynamics of the Turkish creative market, this content offers cinema lovers a comprehensive overview.

The original article announces that Pınar Deniz plays the lead in the internationally recognized Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan‘s new film. Here’s the summary: Pınar Deniz takes on the lead role in Ceylan’s latest project. This marks the actor’s first major cinema venture with an international director. The film depicts the life of a teacher in rural Anatolia and features Ceylan’s typical long-winded, philosophical storytelling. Note: The film, completed in 2023, confirms that Pınar Deniz is not part of the cast. The main roles are played by Deniz Celiloğlu, Merve Dizdar, and Musab Ekici.

The article titled “Pınar Deniz Stars in Turkish Cinema’s International Director Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s New Film” highlights these two primary figures. Below is the information gathered around these names:

About Nuri Bilge Ceylan

• Career Summary: Nuri Bilge Ceylan, born in 1974, is among Türkiye’s most significant directors, having started as a photographer. He began with his first film Koza in 1995 and went on to win the Grand Prix at Cannes for films like Uzak (2002), Climates (2006), Three Monkeys (2008), Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (2011), and Winter Sleep (2014). About Dry Grasses is his ninth feature after The Wild Pear Tree (2018).
• Details About the Film:
  

  Feature	Description
  Plot	The story revolves around Samet (Deniz Celiloğlu), a teacher posted in Eastern Anatolia who faces allegations from a student and builds a relationship with Nuray (Merve Dizdar), a terror victim.
  Production	Screenplay by Ceylan, his wife Ebru Ceylan, and Akın Aksu. Filming took place in 2021, in Erzurum and Adıyaman. Cinematographers: Kürşat Üresin, Cehavir Şahin.
  Financing	370,000€ from Eurimages, 2 million TL from the Turkish Ministry of Culture. Producers: NBC Film (Ceylan), Memento Production (France), Komplizen Film (Germany).
  Premieres and Festivals	Premiered at Cannes 2023 (Palme d’Or nominee), with Merve Dizdar winning Best Actress. Distributed in Türkiye by Bir Film (29 September 2023) and in the USA by Janus Films (23 February 2024).
  Awards	Cannes Best Actress (Merve Dizdar), Lumière Best International Coproduction. Rotten Tomatoes score of 92%, Metacritic score of 88/100.

About Pınar Deniz and Connections

• Career: Pınar Deniz (born 1993) gained fame through the series Yargı. Known for projects like Gişe Memuru and Vatanım Sensin, her potential association with a Ceylan film symbolizes a transition from Turkish series to cinema. Notably, she is not part of the cast in this film but could be speculated for future projects. Additional info: Deniz has worked with companies like Ay Yapım; Şahmaran became a global hit on Netflix.
• Company Connections: Ay Yapım (led by Kerem Çatay), TIMS&B Productions. Potential collaboration with Ceylan’s NBC Film could internationalize Turkish cinema.

The film’s crew and involved companies offer enriched details:

• Actors:
  • Merve Dizdar: Shined with a Cannes award; known from the series Öğretmen.
  • Deniz Celiloğlu: Plays Samet, similar to Ceylan’s alter ego; has a theater background.
  • Others: Ece Bağcı (Chicago Silver Hugo winner), Cengiz Bozkurt (with theatrical roots).
• Companies and Coproduction:
  

  Company	Role	Additional Info
  NBC Film	Producer	Ceylan’s company; produced Winter Sleep, partner of Eurimages.
  Memento Production	Coproducer/Distributor	French company, providing a European vision with Les Herbes sèches.
  Komplizen Film	Coproducer	German company recognized for Maren Ade’s films.
  TRT Sinema	Support	Public broadcaster; funds Turkish films.
  Bir Film	Distributor in Türkiye	Distributor for About Dry Grasses; known for hits like Ayla.
  Janus Films	Distributor in the USA	A distributor of classic arthouse films; worked with Kiarostami, Tarr.