''Pandora's Box'' ( tr, Pandora'nın Kutusu) is a 2008 Turkish

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by

Yeşim Ustaoğlu Yeşim Ustaoğlu (born 18 November 1960) is a Turkish filmmaker and screenwriter. Life and career Ustaoğlu was born in Kars, Sarıkamış and grew up in Trabzon on the Black Sea. After studying architecture at Karadeniz Technical University ...

Plot

Two sisters and a brother living in the centre of Istanbul are confronted with the care for their dementing mother who they brought back with them from the mountains near the Black Sea where she lived. As the siblings start reminiscing about their mother, the tensions between them quickly become apparent; like a Pandora’s Box which is spilled open, all the unresolved disputes are scattered around. The confrontation with their mother’s sordidness brings them to realize how poor their own lives are. It is only the oldest daughter's rebellious son Murat who empathizes with the old woman and an unusual alliance is born between the two.

Reception

Reviews

Eddie Cockrell, writing in ''Variety'', describes the film as a, ''confident, satisfying drama'' and that, ''Helmer and co-scripter Yesim Ustaoglu brings a novelist's feel for pace and character development to a story that, at close to two hours, could wear out its welcome but deftly avoids drag.'' He also writes that, ''French-born vet Tsilla Chelton gives a remarkable performance as an Alzheimer's-afflicted country matriarch juggled among a trio of urban Istanbul siblings,'' and, ''Ninety-year-old Chelton slips much deadpan humor into her otherwise utterly respectful portrayal, with other thesps fine in support.'' He adds that the, ''Tech package is accomplished, with a trio of production designers creating persuasively authentic living spaces that point up the gulf between city and country, traditional and modern,'' and concludes, ''Pic's unemphasized clash between old and new provides fascinating glimpses of a country in transition.'' Joanne Laurier, reporting on the

Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a perman ...

for ''World Socialist Website'', writes that, ''The inner and outer worlds of the protagonists are well dramatized. Of all the characters, however, Nesrin with her upper middle class and invasive tension is the most developed,'' however, ''What is weak about Pandora’s Box, however, is that in its critique of an isolating, urban setting, it seems to long for a simpler, less complicated time and place. How helpful is that?''

Awards

* 56th

San Sebastián International Film Festival The San Sebastián International Film Festival ( SSIFF; es, Festival Internacional de San Sebastián, eu, Donostia Zinemaldia) is an annual FIAPF A category film festival held in the Spanish city of Donostia-San Sebastián in September, in ...

Golden Seashell The Golden Shell ( es, Concha de Oro; eu, Urrezko Maskorra) is the highest prize given to a competing film at the San Sebastián Film Festival. It was introduced in 1957. In 1953 and 1954, the highest prize had been called the Gran Premio. In 19 ...

: Yeşim Ustaoğlu (Won) ** Silver Seashell for Best Actress: Tsilla Chelton (Tied with

Melissa Leo Melissa Chessington Leo (born September 14, 1960) is an American actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and two Critics' Choice A ...

for ''

Frozen River ''Frozen River'' is a 2008 American crime drama film written and directed by Courtney Hunt. The screenplay focuses on two working-class women who smuggle illegal immigrants from Canada to the United States. The film received two Oscar nomination ...

'') * 27th Fajr International Film Festival, "World Panorama" section (February 3, 2009) **

Crystal Simorgh The Crystal Simorgh ( fa, ‌سیمرغ بلورین) is an award given by Fajr International Film Festival Iran's annual Fajr International Film Festival ( fa, جشنواره بین‌المللی فیلم فجر), or Fajr Film Festival (litt ...

for Best Performance:

Tsilla Chelton Tsilla Chelton (21 June 1919 – 15 July 2012) was a French actress of theatre and film, famous for playing the main role in 1990 film Tatie Danielle, in which she was nominated for a Cesar award and as an elderly Dominican in Soeur Sourire. ...

Derya Alabora Derya Alabora (born Derya Harupçu, August 19, 1959) is a Turkish actress. She was born in Istanbul. She graduated from the theater department at the conservatory of Mimar Sinan University in 1982. She has won two Golden Orange awards for her ro ...

and Ovul Avkiran **

of Special Jury Prize:

* 11th

Cinemanila International Film Festival The Cinemanila International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Manila, Philippines. It was founded by Filipino filmmaker Amable "Tikoy" Aguiluz in 1999. The focus of the festival is on the cinema of the Philippines as well as Southea ...

** Best Actress: Tsilla Chelton (Won) *

3rd Yeşilçam Awards The 3rd Yeşilçam Awards ( tr, 3. Yeşilçam Ödülleri), presented by the Turkish Foundation of Cinema and Audiovisual Culture (TÜRSAK) and Beyoğlu Municipality, honored the best Turkish films of 2009 and took place on March 23, 2010, at the ...

(March 23, 2010) ** Best Supporting Actress:

(Won)

References

External links