A Film Without Borders: My Marlon and Brando

By Serhan Mersin

Imagine who cut my head?
But I can live without my head
Cause I have arms and legs to reach to you
And the heart which I can throw just like a hand bomb
To destroy all borders.
(From Film)

As Jean-Luc Godard once said all great fiction films deviate to documentaries, as all great documentaries deviate to fiction. Hüseyin Karabey’s first feature Gitmek – My Barlon and Brenda (2008) is a movie as such. After his documentaries, such as Sessiz Ölüm (Silent Death, 2001), screening F-type prisons and death fasts, Boran (1999), about unidentified murders committed by state, and Pina Bausch’la Bir Nefes (A Breath with Pina Bausch, 2004), about one of modern dance’s most compelling minds, Pina Bausch, his last film is based on a true story. Winning several awards including Best New Narrative Filmmaker Award by Hüseyin Karabey in Tribeca Film Festival, USA (2008), Best Actress Award by Ayça Damgacı in Istanbul Film Festival, Turkey (2008), FIPRESCI Award in Jerusalem Film Festival, Israel (2008), and Best Supporting Actor by Volga Sorgu in Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, Turkey (2008), this film tells the story of a woman, Ayça, going to East, contrary to films ending in the West, and crossing borders for her love.