BERLIN: Beautiful ‘Honey’ wins the Golden Bear
February 21st, 2010 Posted in Film, News, Reviews | No Comments »
Tulin Ozen and Boras Altas as mother and son in a moving tale
For once, my reviews were in sync with a festival jury. With Werner Herzog in charge, the competition jury at the Berlin International Film Festival gave its top Golden Bear prize to Turkish film “Honey” (Bal), which I reviewed favorably in The Hollywood Reporter. Feo Aladag’s German drama “When We Leave” (Die Fremde) was named Best European Film in the Panorama sidebar and you can see my review below. Read about all the Berlin Festival winners in The Hollywood Reporter.
By Ray Bennett
BERLIN – The third entry in Turkish filmmaker Semih Kaplanoglu’s trilogy about a young poet named Yusuf, “Honey” (“Bal”), sees him as a 6-year-old, learning the harsh realities of nature as his beekeeper father disappears in the forest.
Measured and contemplative with a remarkable performance by Boras Altas, then 7, and superlative cinematography by Baris Ozbicer, the film will follow its predecessors in winning great appreciation at film festivals. It may also attract art houses with audiences interested in things bucolic and spiritual.

Altas with Erdal Besikcioglu as his forest-wise beekeeper father
Read my full review in The Hollywood Reporter








