Turkish Filmmaker Belkis Bayrak Heads To San Sebastian With Gripping New Directors Title ‘Gülizar,’ Reveals Trailer (EXCLUSIVE)

Ahead of its European bow in San Sebastian as part of the fest’s New Directors Competition, Turkish writer-director Belkis Bayrak reveals the first look trailer for her riveting debut feature, “Gülizar,” shared exclusively with Variety.

“It is, of course, an honor to be in competition at San Sebastian with my debut feature,” Bayrak relayed. “I can’t wait to see the film with a European audience, especially the famed San Sebastian audience!”

Bayrak is an alum of the Torino Film Lab, Reclaim The Frame’s Filmonomics Program and a member of EWA who has previously released notable shorts “The Apartment” and “Cemile.”

“Gülizar,” which saw its world premiere in Toronto at TIFF’s Discovery strand, was produced by Bayrak alongside Murat Yaşar Bayrak at Turkey’s Saba Film in tandem with Mehmet Bahadir Er of Turkey’s Protim V.P and co-produced by Valmira Hyseni of Kosovo’s Planbee Films.

Based on a story written by Bayrak and Öktem Başol, the narrative is told from the pensive, feminine gaze of its titular character, played by Ecem Uzun, after a brutal assault threatens to tamper with the obligatory joy of her pending nuptials. Her husband-to-be, Emre (Bekhir Behrem), seeks to rectify the damage done by settling the score personally and the story unfurls to expose secrets and hard truths.

The trailer opens as Gülizar walks slowly through a field, gently shoving green stalks aside as a voiceover begs the heavy question, “Is your happiness all about getting married?”

The teaser then cuts to a dimly lit walkway as she maneuvers her way toward the front before seeing the protagonist jogging down concrete stairs with the narration laid bare, “I’m happy to have a life of my own.”

As the scene fades to black, an audible struggle ensues, and when the protagonist hits the screen again, she’s clad in a white wedding dress, framed tightly and hyperventilating.

Going on to portray the tumult and fatigue of trauma, unnerving scenes build a suspense that looms over the community as hushed gossip and unsolicited opinions are scattered throughout depictions of quiet torment until they’re eventually thrust upon the film’s stoic lead as she remains determined to find the man responsible for her grief, her anguish increasingly palpable.

“My main decision was to follow Gülizar’s psychology in every scene, keeping a calm rhythm to capture her emotions amidst the crowd. By portraying a protagonist who is non-verbal during her post-trauma, I wanted to create empathy for why women in the history of harassment cannot speak and self-censor,” Bayrak said in a statement. 

“The film delves into the complexities of trauma, societal expectations, and the journey of self-discovery, all through the lens of a woman yearning for her own liberation. As a female filmmaker raised in a patriarchal society by a matriarchal family, I’m passionate about sharing Gülizar’s story.”

Hakan Yufkacıgil, Ernest Malazogu, and Aslı İçözü round out an intimate cast; the film debuts to the public on Saturday, Sept. 21.

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