The Pillar of Salt

Tuzdan Kaide

A pregnant young woman who lives in a cave is looking for her vanished sister, yet this plot summary hardly does justice to the charm, richness and radical nature of Burak Cevik's first feature - all of which a result of the liberties he takes in creating an extravagant cinematic world to tell this story.

The protagonist leaves her almost fairytale-like cave to set out across a river, taking up her sister's trail. This trail leads her to a botanical garden, a bird shop, and a darkroom. The photo lab technician compares the effect of photographs to God turning Lot's wife into a pillar of salt because she couldn't resist the temptation of turning around to see Sodom be destroyed. Captured for eternity, transfixed for eternity - should we take it at face value when the protagonist tells the boatwoman that she is a part-time vampire?

The dreamlike way in which the film digresses to show us a plant, a strip of negatives, or a table tennis match contributes considerably to the strange fascination it develops. Some things remain mysterious - which only makes us even more curious about what they might be referring to.

Official Selection at the Berlin International Film Festival.