TEREDDÜT (CLAIRE OBSCURE)

Chehnaz, an attractive, modern woman and her husband Cem live in Istanbul. Chehnaz is a psychiatrist and to complete her training has to work for two years at a hospital in a small, remote seaside town. While treating her patients during the week, she's mostly looking forward to the weekend and their Istanbul lives. During this routine, Chehnaz's sexual problem with her husband becomes more evident. After a stormy night the course of her life is changed forever when she meets Elmas, a young woman from the town, who was married off to a distant relative she doesn't love.
A sensual portrait of two women who are deprived of their right to discover themselves and to love and be loved in a relationship of their choosing, in a country torn between modernity and tradition.

„Ustaoglu masterfully uses the natural setting of the Mediterranean coast to reflect the two women’s inner state of mind. The unrestful sea and storms invade the space, encouraging the women to take control over their own nature. Female sexuality is at the centre of this dark, poetic tale. While for Elmas sex is a painful experience that needs to be endured in order to have children, Chenaz feels trapped in a sex life that is dictated by her partner’s desire for control and self-absorption. The very sensitive issues tackled by the film are valid, not only for Turkey, but for women all around the world.“
Paraskevi Karageorgu, Cineuropa.org