Head-On
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Head-On | |
| Directed by | Fatih Akın |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Fatih Akın, Andreas Schreitmüller, Stefan Schubert |
| Written by | Fatih Akın |
| Starring | Sibel Kekilli, Birol Ünel, Catrin Striebeck, Meltem Cumbul, |
| Distributed by | Strand Releasing (USA) |
| Release date(s) |  12 February 2004 (premiere at BIFF) 11 March 2004 19 March 2004 21 January 2005 (NYC only) 28 January 2005 (Los Angeles only) 18 February 2005 |
| Running time | 121 min. |
| Language | German, Turkish |
Head-On (German: Gegen die Wand, literally Against the Wall; Turkish: Duvara Karşı) is a 2004 German film written and directed by Fatih Akın.
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[edit] Synopsis
Cahit Tomruk (played by Birol Ünel) is a German of Turkish descent in his 40s. He has given up on life after the death of his wife and seeks solace in cocaine and alcohol. One night, he intentionally crashes into a wall (hence the title), and barely survives. At the psychiatric clinic he is taken to, Sibel Güner (Sibel Kekilli), another German Turk who has tried to commit suicide, approaches him. She asks Cahit to carry out a formal marriage with her so that she can break out of the strict rules of her conservative family. Cahit is initially turned off by the idea, but then he agrees to take part in this plan. As Sibel tells him frankly that she prefers an independent sex life, they live as roommates with separate private lives. They eventually fall in love, and things take a different turn as Cahit kills one of Sibel's former lovers out of anger and thus he has to go to prison. While Cahit is in prison, Sibel goes to Istanbul, to which he follows her upon his release. Upon arrival, Cahit finds that Sibel is in a long-term relationship and now has a daughter. Sibel's cousin Selma does not tell Cahit how to find her, so he waits in a hotel for Sibel's call. It eventually comes. He asks her to run away with him, and she agrees to, but never shows up. The film ends with Cahit on a bus, presumably travelling to Mersin - the city where he was born.
[edit] Awards
- "Best Film" and the "Audience Award" at the 2004 European Film Awards.
- The Golden Bear for Best Film at 54th Berlin International Film Festival) on February 14, 2004.
- The Golden Prize for Best Actress at the Deutscher Filmpreis on June 18, 2004.
- The Quadriga Prize on October 3, 2004 in Berlin.
- The Silver Mirror Award for the Best Movie from the South at the Oslo Film Festival on October 16, 2004.
- The Audience Prize at the 9th Festival de Cine on November 6-13 in Sevilla, Spain.
- The Golden Bambi for the best shooting star at the 56th Bambi-Verleihung on November 19 in Hamburg, Germany
- the Golden Gilde prize for the best German movie of 2003-2004 at the Leipzig Film Fair.
- The award for Best European Film of 2004 European Film Prize on December 11 in Barcelona, Spain.
[edit] Trivia
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Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (July 2009) |
Birol was an actual alcoholic in real life as he was as Cahit in Gegen die Wand. In fact, about half through the filming of Gegen die Wand, a Doctor told Birol that he had to stop drinking or he would die. Birol stopped drinking. In the movie, one notices that Birol (Cahit) lost considerable weight by the time he is in Turkey. Actress Sibel Kekilli underwent an appendectomy during the filming in Turkey.
[edit] External links
- (German) Official site
- Head-On at the Internet Movie Database
- Article on Head-On at BrokenProjector.com
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by In This World |
Golden Bear winner 2004 |
Succeeded by U-Carmen e-Khayelitsha |
| Preceded by Good Bye Lenin! |
European Film Award for Best European Film 2004 |
Succeeded by Hidden (Caché) |
| Preceded by Good Bye Lenin! |
Goya Award for Best European Film 2004 |
Succeeded by Match Point |
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