Honeyland

Effectively approaches the narrative urgency of fiction within a documentary space, or said another way, the story unfolded with such precision, beauty, and impact, it made me wonder whether I was watching a documentary at all, which is a statement and a half. Has all the editing and visual opulence normally found in Soviet silent fables - extreme close-ups set against imposing rural vistas, creating intimate sequences as proxy for great moral truths. Breathtaking.

Even in a bee-infested Macedonian desert, you can't escape shitty neighbours. On a more serious note, this was a truly breathtaking effort as a film that fits in a grey area between narrative/documentary filmmaking. Its just a remarkable, heartbreaking film that will expand your appreciation for the human spirit.

Another powerful entry into the "passive" documentary subgenre - playing out with no narration or talking heads, the film-makers observe a woman going about her mundane daily life, until a threat arrives. While it's sometimes debatable how manufactured this might be (especially the number of 'perfect' unselfconscious sequences with both neighbouring families) the quietly profound points made about respect for the environment (and your neighbours) definitely cut through.

Important and multi-layered, but not really structured which makes it a bit difficult to watch. That and the ill-behaving nomads.

amazing!

A deeply personal and incredibly specific portrait that still manages to address broad issues that affect us all. Beautiful to look at and yet often hard to watch.

Brilliant verité take on a world clinging by its fingernails. The camera is obviously *there*, especially for some of the younger boys, but the story it tells in the meeting between Hatidze and Hussein and their incompatible needs is awesome in the correct sense of the word.

Canım memleketim

As a Balkan person who has been living away from my homeland for a long time, I got sentimental when I watched this film. It's a privilege to understand what Hatidze exactly saying because there is no way to translate her words properly. Such a simple, yet haunting story. Absolutely brilliant visual storytelling from the directors. Not all documentaries need narrators.

A close look at a genuinely good person and how she reacts to good and bad times. Her new neighbors are a threat to both nature and her way of life. No narration is necessary because of great visual storytelling, but it can be a bit slow.

So much to unfold from this brilliant and tightly bound documentary that it'll take some time to reflect on. Even more mind-blowing is the symbiosis of nature and humans, an incredible narrative with deeply rooted life.

Gorgeous cinematography highlights a simple but affecting narrative. Slow, but lovely. Incredibly effective visual storytelling.

Wow. One of those documentaries where afterwards you have to check whether there really wasn't any fictitious elements in it. What a great person they found, what a great story it turned into, what a great way to make a film out of it. Deserves all the attention it is getting.

Böyle bir hikayeyi ana dilinde izleyebilmek çok güzel. Mubi'deki altyazıda(nedense altyazıyı kapatmadan izledim) Türkçe'den Türkçe'ye çeviri yaparken bile birçok cümle anlamını kaybetmiş. Elbette işin kurgu kısmı var, ne kadarı kurgu ne kadarı gerçek anlamak da zor ama Hatice gerçek, rol yapmıyor, bundan eminim. Eski, kanaatkar ve ahlaklı Türk. O insanlardan şimdi çooooook az kaldı, Allah sayılarını artırsın. Hüseyin ise sık sık rastladığımız birçok insan gibi, açgözlülüğün mücessem hali.

Would've been an incredible short documentary had the film focused solely on Hatidze, her unquenchable spirit and the beautiful relationship she shared with her mother. I recognise the need for an interesting conflict, but the alternating focus between her and her terrible neighbours makes for a jarring viewing experience, in addition to its visual inconsistency as a result of having been filmed with 15 different cameras. Fortunately, the film manages to end on a touching, cinematic note.

A mere couple of hundred kilometers away is world almost unrecognizable by me. A poetic telling of those who have nothing yet need nothing more, and of those who have nothing yet need more to survive. Pacing of this visual masterpiece is great and while it does wander to the neighbors a little bit too often, it luckily connects the lines pretty smoothly, even though I didn't like it as it doesn't feel as peaceful as the rest of the movie. Protagonist is likeable, lovable, brave and gentle.

Gönüllerin kazananı. Dokunaklı, sahici ve bizden bir film.

"Spectrum Capitol"

it's supposed to be a documentary, but it's so surreal in its "verité" it's hard to disregard the exceptional narrative this film has. hatidze is an amazing person, literally the last of her kind, her village, and her era. this film presents a slice of history, a chapter that's been closing since the end of the century. amazingly shot, well worth the oscar nod.

w/ Orkun

S

dat family did not kno how to have bees :/

İlkel köyde survivor. Bal ile geçimini sağlayan, yaşlı annesine bakan Hatice, köye yeni gelenler ile balını kaybeder. Doğa güzellikleriyle dolu film, çocuk şiddetiyle aşağı çekiyor. Belgesel yönüyle de ilerleyen film, gerçekçi oyunculuklarıyla da izletiyor. Filmin sonunda, köyde Hatice yalnız kalıyor. Öküz öldü ortaklık ayrıldı.

bleedingly real, every moment is poetic

2. Başka Sinema Ayvalık Film Festivali.

A beautiful and compelling portrait of Hatidze , a woman of such incredible dignity.

Perdede, Kanyon

Harika Corona günleri Istanbul wth Aliye