A small town in western Turkey. Four seasons. Three generations of the same family. The children continue learning – at school, in nature or by exploring their imagination. The adults dwell on their memories, hark back to their shared past but also consider whether or not to leave the town to fulfil themselves elsewhere. Right from this debut feature, Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Palme d’Or 2014 with Winter Sleep) openly asserts the influence of Anton Chekhov and imposes his self-assured plasticity and melancholy. The finely chiselled scenography of the black-and-white sequence shots capture the sensitive vibrations of Nature’s transformations, echoing the emotions of each age. JL
