Written and Directed by: Zeki Demirkubuz (based on Nahit Sirri Orik's novel)
Edited by: Zeki Demirkubuz
Cinematography: Emre Erkmen
Art Direction: Nilufer Camur Giritlioglu
Sound: Murat Senurkmez
Cast: Nergis Ozturk, Serhat Tutumluer, Berrak Tuzunatac, Bora Cengiz, Hasibe Eren, Nihal Koldas, Ferdag Isıl, Mustafa Uzunyılmaz, Reyhan Ilhan, Serdar Orcin, Rafi Emeksiz, Birsen Durulu, Yesim Gul, Sule Demirel, Can Anamur and Hatice Aslan (Guest Actress)
Production: Turkey
Produced by: Zeki Demirkubuz, Zefer Çelik
Yerli Film, Mavi Film
Production Date: 2009
HD-35 mm / Color / 96 minutes / Aspect Ratio: 2.35
Number of reels: 5
Footage: 2650
Sound: Dolby Surround
It’s the 1930s. The Republic Day Ball is in progress in Zonguldak, a coal mining town in Turkey. Among the invited guests are the newcomers to this small and boring town: Halit, a mine engineer; his gorgeous wife, Mükerrem; and Halit’s sister and unwanted household member, Seniha. When Nüshet, whose father is the richest man in town, asks Mükerrem for a dance, Seniha, who has been watching them from a dark corner, immediately realizes that Mükerrem will not be able to resist the incredible (and feminine) beauty of this young man. At the same moment, she also knows that God would lift her up from the place where she has long surrendered to a fate of ugliness, to a place where she would be the one who determines the destiny of beauty.
Director’s Statement
Although the novel seems to be a story based on human themes―ugliness, beauty, envy and passion―I thought about making a film based on Kiskanmak (Envy), because its story mainly addressed the subject of fate. The story of Seniha, whose fate had been determined by her ugliness, and her transformation from being someone who surrendered to this fate to being the one who would write the fate of beauty, which she so abhors, is an uncommon story about the human soul. I thought a story which questions
beauty from the standpoint of ugliness without care or cover would contribute to the effort of understanding of and telling a painful human condition.
When I first read Nahit Sirri Orik’s novel, I immediately realized the following: he had deep observations about situations, he didn’t resort to cliches while he developed his characters, he didn’t take sides in the story he was telling, he never fell into the traps of showiness or haughtiness, and he was faithful to simplicity. I believe this approach also constitues a morality in story telling. I was also touched by his almost total disregard for the period, except for the reality of time (the story takes place during the early years of the Republic) and his attitude of not distorting (even in the name of art) the non-evolving, unchanging existence of the human soul. If we look at the issue from this point of view, it becomes clear that the fate of humanity and the reality of human psyche never change. What changes is the physical reality. And if Hamlet is still telling the story of our day, Nahit Sirri’s outlook is correct.
Senay Aydemir. Revenge is a dish best served cold. Referans. November 11, 2009. Review.
Zeki Demirkubuz's Words on Envy. Ntvmsnbc.com. December 12, 2008. News.
Olkan Ozyurt. The Story of the Beautiful and the Ugly. Sabah. December 30, 2008. News.
A Period Film from Demirkubuz: ‘Kıskanmak’ / ‘Envy’. intersinema.com. August 3, 2009. News.
