The film Clair Obscur (Original Title: Tereddüt, 2016) was directed by the Turkish director Yeşim Ustaoğlu. It is an intense and emotional journey that tackles the themes of societal norms and individual wounds, and which weaves together the fates of two women coming from entirely different worlds.
Synopsis
The movie presents two women, for whom fate has united in a small Turkish town: Sehnaz, played by Funda Eryiğit, and Elmas, played by Ecem Uzun. Sehnaz is a psychiatrist who has it all but is in a marriage which has no love. Elmas on the other hand is a young woman being subjected to abuse and oppression in her forced marriage.
By couples therapy, Sehnaz and Elmas, something of the inner selves of two women appears consistent: pain and trauma of the feminization that is imposed by culture and society. As the plot goes by, both women face their own society as well as their learnt submissive attitudes and expectations about women in their patriarchal family and society.
Themes
The film delves into several poignant themes:
- Patriarchal Oppression: A searing critique of societal norms that confine women to specific roles.
- Mental Health: An intimate portrayal of trauma and psychological struggles.
- Female Solidarity: A nuanced depiction of women finding strength through shared experiences.
Direction and Style
The slow narrative style of the director is complemented by the understatement of colours and sharp contrasts in the film’s photography which evoke emotions felt by the characters in their present moments. Title “Clair Obscur” (light-dark) represents the binary oppositions in the film: freedom versus captivity, and hope versus despair.
Critical Reception
The film was noted by many viewers to be a good and interesting graphic novel. Ecem Uzun deserves accolades for her most emotional and at the same time disturbing performance of Elmas as she won the Best Actress Award at the 2016 Antalya Film Festival. The film has also received such positive feedback for its bold presentation of women’s concerns in modern-day Turkey, which was in line with the international audience.
Cultural Significance
With ‘Clair Obscur’, we learn about the conflicts women endure in a male dominated society and the film operaizes drama in a socially relevant context. The structure of the film encompasses socially relevant portrayal of gender relations and therefore is interesting and pleasing for those who value feminist ideology in cinema.
Recommended for Fans of:
- Films exploring societal issues and gender dynamics (The Salesman, Mustang).
- Psychological dramas (Antichrist, A Separation).
- Directors like Asghar Farhadi and Deniz Gamze Ergüven.
Would you like more details about the cast, Yeşim Ustaoğlu’s other works, or similar films?
