Somersault in a Coffin

Turkish Cypriot Director Dervis Zaim made this movie with only a little money, three main players and a few theatre players. It became a new masterpiece after its premiere in 1996. It won 20 awards in Turkey and Out Of Turkey in the countries Canada USA England Germany and also Italy. With its beautiful music, widescreen presentation and also the unforgettable ending, it is the masterpiece of our Cypriot director. Also its DVD is great and there's available english, german and french subtitles. Beautiful unforgettable movie.

The movie have been shooted for 4 hours with borrowed movie camera in 24 days. The crew sticked together. So, this is a low budget movie. I found technical specifications (such as shots, sounds, synchronization) little bad by year. If you like oriental songs, you will lose yourself with "Yansimalar" and "Baba Zula"s music in this movie. The subject is the life story of someone on the street. We can really see how it is. So realistic. But some frames are greenly, nonsensical, absurd. The movie received awards at several international film festivals including the Golden Orange for best film. This is a cult film. And it deserves.

Legions are films about car thieves whose sole objective is to earn money at all costs. It should not shock viewers if they are informed about a different thief who stole cars for fighting against nature. Turkish film 'Somersault in a Coffin' is based on a highly original concept in the history of world cinema. It is a humane film whose director Dervis Zaim gives representational force to some voiceless, homeless people who would do anything in order to stay alive during harsh, chilly winter in Istanbul. The masculine world of this film is made up of a minuscule array of innocent losers who cannot be deemed by society as a threat to peace. It is an innocent world where friends do not forget to remember their lost friend. For this film Dervis Zaim chose to depict an innocent man who would like to live entirely on his own terms. This is a man who is not a professional thief as money or any other material comforts are of hardly any interest to him. For his eclectic performances a homeless man without any fixed objective in life, Turkish actor Ahmet Ugurlu won best actor prize at Thessaloniki Film Festival.

The story of Mahzun who is an outsider living out on the streets. This docile, slow but gentle character works in a Turkish cafe during the daytime and at nights, he is a professional car burglar. He steals a car, drives around the city all night and in the morning, he brings it back to the spot he had taken it from. He is often in trouble with the police, he has only a few friends. Mahzun falls in love with a heroine addict and everything hidden in him comes out after this... Tabutta Rovasata is a good movie with a strong story, charming characters and good acting..One of the best of 20th century Turkish cinema. Please pay attention to the wonderful music of ' Yansimalar' ...

This is a tale of "The Insulted and Humiliated".

Mahsun (Ahmet Ugurlu) is a homeless man, gentle as he can be, addicted to auto burglary (not for joyriding but for staying alive in freezing Istanbul nights.) and trying to make sense of it all. He makes friends with a heroin addict and a peacock, yes a peacock he stole from the historic Rumelihisari (a historical fortress) and things get complicated and messy. Ahmet Ugurlu plays flawlessly as if he is the real Mahsun. Director makes you witness surreal moments around the fortress and the sea.

With enchanting musics by "Baba Zula" and "Yansimalar" and pristine views from Istanbul city, Somersault in a Coffin takes you on a journey to the life of backstreet people.

If you wanna join their night journey, here's your pick!