Compared with the Berlin Golden Bear films in recent years, "Honey" is very special. It does not have the theme first, and it is not mixed with popular topics such as political culture. The spiritual theme of the film festival returns to the traditional line of poetic aesthetics. . Because of this, it is not surprising that Honey has natural characteristics such as dullness and slowness. It's a personal film that exudes the author's air, and it doesn't even exist in isolation. "Honey", "Egg" (Egg) and "Milk" (Milk) form the Yusuf Trilogy (Yusuf Trilogy), but the confusion of the first two works must be answered in "Honey", in the film when the mother prepares breakfast These three things also appeared, which are echoes. The film spans Joseph's childhood, youth, and middle age, stepping back in time as a startling and lengthy flashback. And without the affirmation of the Golden Bear Award, Kaplanoglu's ambitions may continue to be sealed. This kind of ambition does not need the reflection of the times. The audience must think together with the author, breathe with the fate of the protagonist, and walk along the way.
Maybe because of the little boy's spirituality and wonderful performance, many people confuse "Honey" with Iranian children's movies, but no matter from which point of view, "Honey" is neither close to Abbas nor wearing "little shoes". First of all, the film does not demand realism. It depicts scenes and objects to express feelings, the story is simple, the dialogue is simplified, and the principle of using pictures to tell things is thoroughly implemented, leaving a free space for imagination. Secondly, the film is entangled with some inner shadows, not some things that can be said clearly. Little boys stuttering in class and returning home with an absent father are common growing pains. With the help of dreams and mysticism, "Honey" buries unspeakable secrets in the forest, just like at the end, a little boy falls asleep in the dark, breathes with the big tree, and is one with everything around him.
In my opinion, "Honey" is close to Apichatpong and Naomi Kawase's forest complex and oriental, and a little bit closer to Ceylan's "The Small Town" - just not so much There are many personal feelings, for fear that others will not see that it is the hometown where I was born and raised. The little boy's subjective perspective and personal world are also too powerful. He doesn't say anything, but he knows everything, and has a hunch and efficaciousness. No matter at home, on the road, or in the classroom, the film emphasizes the observation and watching of the little boy again and again, the death of the father and the grief of the mother. There is an over-the-shoulder shot, where the lens is in line with the line of sight; there is an overhead shot through a glass bottle, where the little boy is eager for rewards and praise. If several groups of dreams and active dialogues are counted, more than half of "Honey" is devoted to describing the psychological experience of the little boy. "Honey" also incorporates hadiths, poems and ancient scriptures, forming a ubiquitous metaphor for each other. The way of interpreting the father-son relationship is somewhat close to the Russian "The Return" (The Return).
However, fans are not unfamiliar with this set of tricks in "Honey", and dissidents also have addicted or pale sticks in their hands. After all, personal emotional expression has never been able to please most people. The long shots that are questioned are actually not that scary. For example, the long shots in the opening use all the space outside the painting, followed by an ingenious tree camera position, which is full of suspense and quite attractive. At the same time, the lens of "Honey" is not so rigid, and the film is known for its photography. When photographing sunlight passing through forest trees, the light seems to flow. There are several lighting and focus treatments in the film, which all prove that the director is not a lazy person. At most, he is just a little paranoid, and he wants to take a picture of one person's things and finish it. 【Southern Metropolis Daily】
"Honey"
Director: Semih Kaplanoglu
Actor: Erdal Besikcioglu
Just like the director's two previous works, "Honey" Very beautiful and skilled, and sometimes I can feel the pressure brought by the director's control. - Lee Marshall (The Daily Screen)
Existential Narratives of Children's Worldviews, a film about loss and mourning. —Katja Nicodemus (The Age)
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