'Kış Uykusu (Winter Sleep)' is a highly acclaimed Turkish film, masterfully directed by the Cannes laureate, Nuri Bilge Ceylan. Following the success of 'Once Upon a Time in Anatolia', Ceylan delivers yet another cinematic masterpiece, rewarded with the prestigious Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, making it the second Turkish film to earn this honor since Yılmaz Güney's 'Yol'.
Two women form the main axis of Aydın's life: his young wife Nihal (played by Melisa Sözen), who treats him with distant coldness, and his sister Necla (Demet Akbağ), who moves in with them post-divorce. The arrival of harsh winter and increasing snowfall seems to take a toll on Aydın's nerves, pushing him towards thoughts of leaving.
'Winter Sleep' is not merely a film about an ex-actor's midlife crisis, but a profound exploration of the complexities of human relationships. It peeks through the heavy door sealed by helplessness, disappointment, prejudices, and dead-ends, involving every conceivable human connection, including marital and sibling relationships. Certain scenes in the film are based on Anton Chekhov’s stories, 'My Wife' and 'Excellent People', adding a layer of literary depth to the narrative.
The film, especially in its home setting, depicts characters grappling with their past, accusing each other in veiled ways with Aydın often at the center of these accusations. His relationship with his wife, Nihal, is particularly fragile and distant.
With its lengthy, meaningful dialogues and visually stunning cinematography, 'Winter Sleep' offers an abundance of details that can't be easily counted. It makes viewers feel as though they are immersed in a Russian novel, laying bare a struggle of an intellectual man with his geography and his private life's reckonings. It stands out as a remarkable piece of cinema that beautifully intertwines the personal, the social, and the existential, serving a captivating and reflective viewing experience.