Very sparse and leisurely, Distant is not for everyone but effective and rewarding to the viewer with a good attention span. Ceylan's ambient style is noticeably informed by his background in still photography. The text reminded me of Satyajit Ray's work, because it is parsimonious but otherwise naturalistic, with a very subtle psychological subtext, and because of the themes of alienation and of how personal finance and social standing affect everyday life and human interactions.

The hardest film to rate. One half of me wants to give it 100 - because the film develops scene by scene as a procession of beautifully constructed portraits of its two protagonists. Furthermore, the mood is delivered perfectly, with only the tip of the iceberg is shown to the viewer, and little dialogue or action to hasten the slow layering of the plot. As a work of art, it's perfect. Unfortunately, as a film, I just couldn't enjoy it due to the inaction and apathy of the plot.

On weakness, on cowardice. A reproachful, answerless gaze. Watch at a reasonable volume, and not when you're tired.

gorsel mukemmeliyet (kar altinda istanbul) imgeler (isik kapama, fare, sigara)

"The entire film is stitched together from a collection of long shots that stress the expansive emotional distance between the film's characters." - Ed Gonzalez

Decent minimalist cinema in the footsteps of master Tarkovsky. While the performances of actors (especially for the spoken parts) are highly amateur, the beautiful cinematography and the deep, resonating struggle of the film's premise make it a rich and poetic experience.