Oray
In an argument with his wife Burcu, Oray pronounces the Islamic word for separation, ‘talaq’. Oray must now part from Burcu for three months, and he uses the break to make a fresh start in Cologne. Here, he finds a job and seeks out a new Muslim religious community, led by the young Imam Bilal. When Burcu pays her husband a surprise visit, they realise they still love each other. Oray asks Bilal for advice, but is told: pronouncing ‘talaq’ does not mean a break, but a divorce. Director Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay employs a quasi-documentary style to tell the story of a man caught between his belief in love and his love for his faith. (Berlinale)
Director's Biography
Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay
Born in Bad Hersfeld, Germany, in 1987, Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay grew up in the German city of Hagen. He studied at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne with a focus on film and literature and is a fellow of the German Academic Scholarship Foundation. He currently lives and works in Cologne. For "Oray" he received the First Feature Award at Berlinale 2019.
Film Selection: Oray (2018) – Der Metzger (2016, short) – 31 Szenen einer Jugend (2014, short) - Vor dem Tor des Ijtihad (2013, short) – Ömer, the Lord (2012, doc short) – Wie ich lernte Skifahren zu hassen (2001, short)
Born in Bad Hersfeld, Germany, in 1987, Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay grew up in the German city of Hagen. He studied at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne with a focus on film and literature and is a fellow of the German Academic Scholarship Foundation. He currently lives and works in Cologne. For "Oray" he received the First Feature Award at Berlinale 2019.
Film Selection: Oray (2018) – Der Metzger (2016, short) – 31 Szenen einer Jugend (2014, short) - Vor dem Tor des Ijtihad (2013, short) – Ömer, the Lord (2012, doc short) – Wie ich lernte Skifahren zu hassen (2001, short)
CROSSING EUROPE AWARDS
2019: CROSSING EUROPE Award - Best Fiction Film
Competition Fiction 2019
Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay
Germany 2019
color
100 minutes
German / Turkish / Romani OV with English subtitles
Screenplay Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay
Cinematography Christian Kochmann
Editing Denys Darahan
Sound/Sounddesign Armin Badde
With Zejhun Demirov, Deniz Orta, Cem Göktaş, Faris Yüzbaşıoğlu, Mikael Bajrami, Fırat Barıs Ar, Kais Setti, Ferhat Keskin, Şahin Eryılmaz, Ramon Machtolf
Producer(s) Bastian Klügel, Claus Reichel, Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay
Production
filmfaust Filmproduktion, Academy of Media Arts Cologne, ZDF – Das kleine Fernsehspiel
World Sales
Pluto Film
Austrian Premiere
World Premiere
Berlinale 2019
Weltpremiere / World PremiereBerlinale 2019
Premierenstatus / Premiere Status
Austrian Premiere
Special Mention for Main Actor Zejhun Demirov (CROSSING EUROPE Award - Best Fiction Film 2019)