A RUN FOR MONEY (Kac Para Kac)

New England Premiere

Directed by Reha Erdem   Cast: Taner Birsel, Bennu Yıldırımlar, Zuhal Gencer   1999, 100 minutes   In Turkish with English subtitles

Synopsis:

The film is set in present-day Istanbul. Selim is a shop owner in his early forties. He sells clothing for men in his shop situated in one of the back streets of Istanbul. Selim is a family man who has devoted his life to his home and his work. He lives with his wife Ayla, his six-year-old daughter Esma and his old father in a simple flat in and old, modest neighbourhood. He has warm relations with his family. He is an affectionate father. One of his neighbours, a young widow named Nihal tries to seduce Selim, but her flirtation leaves him cold.

 

Selim is known for his honesty and integrity among his family and friends. He is a careful spender. As a little child, he has learned that money is not easily earned. He has no tolerance for petty "trickery" met in daily life. One day, Selim finds a bag full of dollar bills (approximately 500,000$) in a cab. From that day on, Selim finds himself in a bewildered state with a bag full of money on his hands.

Festivals and Awards:

Represented Turkey in the Academic Awards in the Foreign Language Films category. It also competed in the Tokyo Film Festival and participated in many other international film festivals including Munich, London, Gotebourg, Oslo, Thessaloniki, Jerusalem, Washington D.C., Palm Springs, New Delphi, Montpeillier and Seattle film festivals.

About the Director: Reha Erdem

Reha Erdem directed his first feature film Oh Moon (A Ay) in 1989, a Turkish-French co-production focused on a theme of belief. Oh Moon received an award in the Nantes Film Festival and it participated in the Locarno, Moscow, Vancouver and Dunkerque film festivals. Reha Erdem directed his second feature film A Run For Money (Kac Para Kac) in 1999. This film was subjected on money and it was focused on humanely values. The film represented Turkey in the Academic Awards in the Foreign Language Film Category. A Run for Money also competed in numerous international film festivals (see above).   Reha Erdem was invited to direct Les Bonnes by Jean Genet to the Istanbul National Theater in 1991. He has put this play on stage with an original interpretation. He also participated in a special project held by the Turkish Ministry of Culture. He directed a short film called Song of the Sea (Deniz Turkusu) which was inspired from the poem of a very famous Turkish poet Yahya Kemal Beyatlı. He has been directing over hundreds of TV commercials since 1990 and received international awards. Reha Erdem was born in 1960. He majored in Cinema and Modern Art and then completed a graduate degree in Paris 8 University. He also studied history in Bosphorus University in Istanbul.   Filmography:   Oh, Moon (A Ay, 1989) A Run for Money (Kac Para Kac, 1999) Song of the Sea (Deniz Turkusu, short, 2001)

 Back to the Festival Program