The Representation of Women in New Turkish Cinema - Essay Example

? The Representation of Women in New Turkish Cinema Task Turkish films have been in existence for a considerable amount of time.The Turkish cinemas started in the 18th century with the introduction of the cinema halls by people from the neighboring Istanbul and various individuals of the Turkish origin. Ever since this period, the Turkish cinema has grown tremendously to the current state. However, many questions have been put across, and even some answered by cinema directors concerning the concepts put across in the movies, as well as the identity of the women characters in the new cinema. The improvement in the popularity of the movies is seen as a greater contrast with the yester years of the Turkish movies. This has seen the rise of new directors into the film industry who immensely contributed to a new wave of the Turkish cinema (Cetin, 2008, 2). The local nature of the cinema most often is portrayed meaning movies that exhibit unique cultural fundamentals and terms of Turkish custom, amusement and historical context, could be grounds that viewers are drawn to these general movies of regional directors. These features are striking for a social order that wishes to identify themselves in movies but also nationality and distinctiveness in all its descriptions, profiles and forms are linked to this particular acknowledgment in cinema (Cetin, 2008, 5). However, New Turkish cinema has been hit by a wave of criticism over the representation of women. Presently, women are still being represented pessimistically in Turkish cinema. According to the observation of the various movies by Zeki Demirkubuz’s, the role of women has considerably been ignored by the fact that these movies put emphasis on the male characters (Suner, 2009). Failure to include women in these movies has sparkled protest on the representation of the male perspective and impartiality in the female role. In spite, the poor representation of women in the movies, prostitution prevails as a subtheme for most movies. The absence can be attributed to be negative in relation to gender politics (Suner, 2010, 21). These films have profoundly subordinated women to men. The absence is a representation of the patriarchal practices that are still prevalence within the Turkish society. This has never been in any way considered a coincidence as there female parts are extremely silenced. However, in reviews, the issue of silencing of women has never been addressed but only in a few articles around Turkey (Dadak & Kostepen, 2007). The case of imitating patriarchal customs is the basis of debates surrounding Zeki Demirkubuz movies. Demirkubuz’s role in challenging or reproducing patriarchy is indistinguishable. In a dialogue, with Altyaz? magazine, Zeki Demirkubuz castoffs that he does not include women in most of his movies; however he rejects feminist consideration of the person focusing on patriarchal affairs, sexism and male aggression (Ziraman, 2008). Demirkubuz’s declaration makes evident that he is not behind the patriarchal aggression on women, and physical, as well as spoken violence wielded on prostitutes (Operli & F?rat, 2007). The existence of patriarchal associations between actors, insults and domestic violence can be understood as awkward analysis of the social order, which is also subjected by gender social orders and patriarchy. Possible tribulations faced by women such as infidelity, rape, domestic brutality, rumors about morality are revealed in the movie in a normal way, which can be understood as the upholding of the patriarchy. The female standpoints and stories are set aside in most of these movies a complete show of the patriarchal practices. Turkish cinema can be considered a better source to understand the females struggle against silence in an attempt to ensure equality, as well as their identity (Ulusoy, 2010). Conversely, women feel lost within the dominated society where they are discriminated against (Umut, 2009). Despite the inclusion of women in various movies, they get included because they ought to be there based on their sex (Asli, 2010). According to some people, their belief is that cinema brings the awareness and tolerance for various cultures within individual nations. With respect to the early cinemas in the Turkish community, the cinemas were based on the Islamic patterns where women got beatings and insults as punishment. They believed that women are prone to frequent mistakes and should be punished regularly (Asli, 2010). The new era of these Turkish movies, show the women full of tears as well as pains of different levels as some of them are forced in being prostitutes. However, this gives a wrong impression of the Turkish women within the community as they are always made victims in the films (Aziz, 2010). The women are shown or depicted as the objects to fulfill men desires and not as the active subjects in the new wave of Turkish cinema (Suner, 2010, 21). Most Zeki Demirkubuz’s movies have political views although never engaged in any politics. The principal depiction is the gender politics although certainly not realistic; it can also be a way of creating self-awareness. The issue of representation of woman can be of paramount importance in the reflection of the gender equality in the Turkish cinema (Aytac & Onaran, 2009). In my opinion, the women within the Turkish society need to fight back and engage in the direction of some few movies a greater step to achieving the recognition in a male setting. Awareness should be created by the few women who think they are bold enough to take up the task of ensuring their influence is felt. Failure to address the issue will see more tarnishing of the Turkish woman in more cinemas that come up in the future. The feelings of suppression on the issue seem to indicate that the reflection on the cinema has some truth in it. To ensure that this uncertain situation does not seem to be true, the women should come up with strategies to counter the representation in the cinemas. In the modern world, everyone has the privilege to fight against what he or she thinks is unfair treatment. This can be achieved by taking the initiative on the matters at hand. The women should put up an end to the patriarchal practices that men bestow on them rather than keeping cool on the issue that has seen considerable undermining of female role within the Turkish society. The women in the Turkish setting should try to find identity and remove the grim impression about them that has already been portrayed. The directors within the Turkish cinema industry have to stop the patriarchal practices. Since they never admit to practices these norms or customs, then they ought to include the feminine role in their cinema. The tarnishing of the women image within the community should not be the paramount issue on the movies as these movies act as the cultural implications. Works Cited Asli, Ceyda, 2010, Women in Turkish Cinema, Web. November 15, 2011, Accessed at: Aytac, Senem & Onaran, Gozde, 2009, Young Turkish Cinema, Web. November 15, 2011, Accessed at: Aziz, Asyel, 2010, Research on Turkish Women in Media, Web. November 15, 2011, Accessed at: Dadak, Zeynep & Kostepen, Enis, 2007, Mental Minefields: The Dark Tales of Zeki Demirkubuz, Graphis Printing, Istanbul. Suner, Asuman, The Absent Women of New Turkish Cinema in New Turkish Cinema: Belonging, Identity and Memory. New York, NY, 2009. Suner, Asuman, ‘The Cinema of Zeki Demirkubuz’, New Turkish Cinema Belonging, Identity and Memory. New York, NY, 2010. Ulusoy, Nihal, 2010, Two Against To One: Women Interdependence in Turkish Cinema after 80’s, Web. November 15, 2011, Accessed at: Umut, Melis, The Transformation of the Representations of Motherhood in Turkish Cinema: From Angelic to Voluptuous Mothers, Web. November 15, 2011, Accessed at: Operli, Nadir & F?rat, 2007, Interview with Zeki Demirkubuz, Web. November 15, 2011, Accessed at: Ziraman, Zehra, 2008, Zeki Demirkubuz And “Kader”: Was It Fated To Be? Web. November 15, 2011, Accessed at: Read More