Acclaimed Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s latest film, ‘Winter Sleep’ (Kis Uykusu) won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. His previous film, ‘Once Upon A Time In Anatolia’ (Bir zamanlar Anadolu’da), is a film I’ve highly recommended before here at LGF - I consider it one of the greatest films I’ve ever seen.

Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s three-and-a-quarter hour Turkish drama Winter Sleep had been bookies’ favourite going into the 67th Cannes film festival competition, and remained one of the frontrunners right into the final straight. Many were sceptical that the film - a Chekhovian drama about an isolated actor dealing with marital breakdown in the mountains - would make it past a number of other strong contenders to finally claim the top prize. Yet on Saturday evening it won the top award - making it the second year in a row that the longest film in contention has won (following Blue is the Warmest Colour’s victory in 2013).

Awarded the gong by Quentin Tarantino and Uma Thurman, Ceylan also expressed surprise at the decision, but said he was very pleased to win, especially in the year which marks the 100th anniversary of Turkish cinema. He thanked the jury and dedicated the award “to the young people of Turkey, those who lost their lives during the last year.

theguardian.com

The trailer for ‘Winter Sleep’ is here. though with French subtitles:

Youtube Video

Looks suitably magnificent.