Ever had a boss so terrible that you considered homicide? If the answer is yes, you’ll find plenty to relate to in Murat Firatoğlu’s debut feature. Recently awarded the special jury prize in the Orizzonti section of the Venice Film Festival, Hemme’nin Öldüğü Günlerden Biri (One of Those Days When Hemme Dies) takes a tragicomic look at one man’s very bad day.
Pulling double duty, Firatoğlu also stars as Eyüp, who we first encounter working a thankless job hauling and salting tomatoes near the Turkish city of Izmir. The cinematography in these early scenes is vivid and engaging, recalling – for one – Pajaranov’s The Color of Pomegranates. Practically a character in and of itself, we can practically feel the heat of the relentless afternoon sun emanating from the screen, much to the chagrin of the workers labouring away beneath it.
Among them, we learn that Eyüp is drowning in debt and on the verge of being thrown in debtor’s prison. Compounding his worries is the fact that his boss Hemme – in addition to being a bit of a tyrant – hasn’t paid the crew in weeks. When a heated argument about their working conditions comes to blows, Eyüp storms off, vowing to enact his revenge. Resolutely heading home to retrieve his pistol, he hops astride his trusty motorbike … which nearly immediately breaks down.
Undeterred, Eyüp abandons the motorbike by a tree and marches the rest of the way into town, only to be foiled at nearly every turn. While we find ourselves oddly rooting for him to succeed in his mission to kill Hemme, the universe tries its best to protect Eyüp from himself as it throws obstacle after obstacle in his very determined path. Unfailingly polite despite his rage, an increasingly frustrated Eyüp finds himself drawn into a leisurely chat with a consummately chatty friend; assisting a kindly old man with an unwieldy watermelon; even covering the cash register at a stationery shop. Thanks in large part to Firatoğlu’s commitment to maintaining a determined and frustrated visage at all times, the film is chock full of these hilarious gags. Whether hauling melons, picturesquely picnicking, or puzzling over which shirt to wear to murder his boss, Firatoğlu had me consistently in stitches.
Just as it seems Eyüp might just manage to succeed in his mission, the universe throws one more obstacle his way. Striding purposefully through the streets toward his target, his braggy cousin pulls up alongside him and insists on giving him a ride. As he lectures Eyüp insufferably on all the wrong decisions he’s made in his life, all the while crowing about his own successes, we kind of start to wish he’d murder this guy instead.
Eventually dumped unceremoniously by the side of the road as the sun dips below the horizon, the slightly deflated but still determined Eyüp calls his friend Ali at the tomato field to let him know he’s finally on his way. No need, Ali tells him. Everyone’s gone home for the day. Eyüp’s face falls as he realizes he’s missed his chance. Attempting to cheer him up, Ali encourages Eyüp to join him at a wedding that evening. Unsure, his plans foiled, he sits in a park and sulks for a while before making his way back to his shabby motorbike, still sitting by that tree. Resignedly, he makes his way to the wedding. The film ends as it began, with a joyful dance. Eyüp joins in, cranky as ever.
Delivering one of the most engaging and enjoyable films I had the pleasure of viewing at the Venice Film Festival this year, Firatoğlu has crafted a subtly layered comedy full of subtle commentary on the increasingly polarized nature of Turkish society. Making deft use of its light tone to convey a message of surprising depth, the film is effective on many different levels, and its success at the festival is well deserved, hopefully garnering increased international attention. Proving himself not only a skilled director, but a talented performer to boot, I look forward to seeing what Firatoğlu comes up with next.
Hemme’nin Öldüğü Günlerden Biri premiered in the Orizzonti programme at the 81st Venice International Film Festival.
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