MUSIC OF OUR CINEMA
NEW DAWN FADES
Director: Gürcan Keltek
Türkiye, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway / 2024 / Colour / 130' / Turkish, Bosnian; English subtitles
Screenplay: Gürcan Keltek
Music: Son of Philip
Cinematography: Peter Zeitlinger
Editing: Murat Gültekin, Semih Gülen
Cast: Cem Yiğit Üzümoğlu, Ayla Algan, Erol Babaoğlu, Suzan Kardeş, Dilan Düzgüner, Gürkan Gedikli
Producer: Arda Çiltepe
Production Company: Vigo Film
World Rights: Heretic
After spending several years in hospitals, Akın realizes after his latest discharge that returning to his former life is no longer possible. He returns to his family home and, during his rare outings, visits the monumental religious sites of Istanbul and spends time at the graves of scholars. As he tries to make sense of what he’s been through, he seeks refuge in a divine power; however, these sacred places awaken a strange and unsettling ecstasy in his mind. As he loses contact with his true self, his mind becomes invaded by a different, unfamiliar reality. As Dawn Breaks had its world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival.
Awards
- 2025 İstanbul Best Director
- 2024 Adana Best Cinematography
Gürcan Keltek
Born in Izmir, Gürcan Keltek studied film at Dokuz Eylül University before directing several shorts including Overtime (2012), screened at Visions Du Réel. His medium- length film Colony (2015) was screened at FIDMarseille. His first feature film Meteorlar (2017) won more than twenty awards including First Feature Film Award and Boccolino d’Oro Film Critics’ Award at Locarno Film Festival. It was screened at many international film festivals including Rotterdam, BAFICI, Viennale, Bordeaux, Fajr, Hong Kong and the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Art of the Real. Gulyabani (2018) premiered at Signs of Life of Locarno Festival and was screened at Tate Modern, Reykjavik, Rotterdam and Viennale. New Dawn Fades, premiering in Locarno International Competition, is his first fiction film.