Turk's Head (film)
Encyclopedia
Turk's Head is a 2010
French thriller film directed and starring Pascal Elbé
. Roschdy Zem
and Israel
actress, Ronit Elkabetz
also star. It was released in France on 31 March 2010. The film was inspired by the real-life incident in 2006 in Marseille
where a group of impoverished teenager torched a bus, severely burning a female passenger. It received its international premiere 'in competition' on 31 August 2010 at the Montreal World Film Festival
, this will be followed by a theatrical release in Canada on 10 September 2010.
at a car. The occupant is an emergency doctor who has been called out to attend to a woman with cardiac problems. Regretful, the teenager rescues the injured doctor who ends up in a coma. The saga continues with the doctor's brother seeking to find the perpetrator.
, Paul Haggis
and especially those of Alejandro Gonzalez
Inarritu. I told myself it was risky, but there was no reason not to try this in France."
The director also researched the real-life perpetrators of a Marseille bus attack that influenced his narrative, "What shocked me most was that one year later, the youths didn’t speak up during the trial and never asked for forgiveness", explained the director. "As though their prison sentence had served no purpose. And as though our social pact had been shattered to pieces."
Character-driven roles were an important element for Elbe, as he explained the development of his preferred character, Sybil (Elkabetz). "I think of the mother as a cowboy in a skirt. She keeps her dignity, because if she falls, everything else does. Through her, I wanted to pay homage to all those mothers in the banlieues who raise the kids alone because the husband has gone. I chose an actress who reminds me of those great Italian stars of the postwar period, like Anna Magnani
."
At a cost of €5.5m, the film was produced by Alicéleo and France 2 Cinéma co-produced the project. The film also received financial backing from the National Film and Moving Image Centre (CNC).
newspaper. Their reviewer, Jean-Luc Douin praised the "engaging" film for "tackling society issues and confronting questions of morality". Le Figaro
praised Elbé for "embracing themes of violence, the code of silence, and love all serviced by a reasonable cast." The newspaper continued to describe it as a "tremendously humane film". It was screened at the 2010 Montreal World Film Festival
and subsequently the city's only English-language daily newspaper, The Gazette
gave the "remarkable drama" 4 out of 5 stars.
2010 in film
The year 2010 saw many new films released worldwide. 2010 saw a dramatic increase and prominence in the use of 3D-technology in filmmaking and film releases after the success of Avatar in the format, with releases such as Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, Jackass 3D, all animated films and...
French thriller film directed and starring Pascal Elbé
Pascal Elbé
Pascal Elbé is a French actor and director and screenwriter.-Biography:Pascal Elbe was born in Colmar, Haut-Rhin, France, to a family of middle-class Jewish immigrants from Algeria. He was raised in Strasbourg...
. Roschdy Zem
Roschdy Zem
Roschdy Zem is a French actor of Moroccan descent. He shared the award for Best Actor for his role in the film "Days of Glory" at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival....
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
actress, Ronit Elkabetz
Ronit Elkabetz
Ronit Elkabetz is an Israeli actress and filmmaker. She works in both Israeli and French cinema. She has won three Ophir Awards and has received a total of seven nominations.- Biography :...
also star. It was released in France on 31 March 2010. The film was inspired by the real-life incident in 2006 in Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
where a group of impoverished teenager torched a bus, severely burning a female passenger. It received its international premiere 'in competition' on 31 August 2010 at the Montreal World Film Festival
Montreal World Film Festival
The Montreal World Film Festival , founded in 1977, is one of Canada's oldest international film festivals and the only competitive film festival in North America accredited by the FIAPF...
, this will be followed by a theatrical release in Canada on 10 September 2010.
Plot
Set amidst Marseille's immigrant suburbs, a devastating chain of events unfolds when 14-year-old Turk, Bora, hurls a Molotov cocktailMolotov cocktail
The Molotov cocktail, also known as the petrol bomb, gasoline bomb, Molotov bomb, fire bottle, fire bomb, or simply Molotov, is a generic name used for a variety of improvised incendiary weapons...
at a car. The occupant is an emergency doctor who has been called out to attend to a woman with cardiac problems. Regretful, the teenager rescues the injured doctor who ends up in a coma. The saga continues with the doctor's brother seeking to find the perpetrator.
Cast
- Roschdy ZemRoschdy ZemRoschdy Zem is a French actor of Moroccan descent. He shared the award for Best Actor for his role in the film "Days of Glory" at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival....
as Atom - Pascal ElbéPascal ElbéPascal Elbé is a French actor and director and screenwriter.-Biography:Pascal Elbe was born in Colmar, Haut-Rhin, France, to a family of middle-class Jewish immigrants from Algeria. He was raised in Strasbourg...
as Simon - Ronit ElkabetzRonit ElkabetzRonit Elkabetz is an Israeli actress and filmmaker. She works in both Israeli and French cinema. She has won three Ophir Awards and has received a total of seven nominations.- Biography :...
as Sibel, la mère de Bora - Samir Makhlouf as Bora
- Simon AbkarianSimon AbkarianSimon Abkarian is a French-Armenian actor.Born in Gonesse, Val d'Oise, of Armenian descent, Abkarian spent his childhood in Lebanon. He moved to Los Angeles, where he joined an Armenian theater company managed by Gerald Papazian. He returned to France in 1985, settling in Paris...
as Le veuf - Florence Thomassin as Mouna
- Valérie Benguigui as Yelda
- Monique Chaumette as Nora, la mère de Atom et Simon
- Laure Marsac as Claire, l'amie de Atom
- Stéphan Guérin-TilliéStéphan Guérin-TilliéStéphan Guérin-Tillié is a French actor, director, and screen writer. Guérin-Tillié has directed the films Edy , Requiem, and J'ai fait des sandwichs pour la route, and acted in a number of films and television roles.-Filmography:-Writing:-Directing:| 2001 || teto-External links:* * * at IMDb...
as Samuel Levasseur - Brigitte Catillon as La maire
- Gamil RatibGamil Ratib-Filmography:* 1956 : " Trapeze"* 1962 : Lawrence of Arabia by David Lean : Majid* 1973 : L’Alphomega, TV series by Lazare Iglesis : Prince Raheem Abdel Rasheem* 1979: "Chafika et Metwal" by Aly Badrakhan : "Afandina"...
as Aram - Moussa Maaskri as Irfan
- Léo Elbé as Nuri
- Adèle Exarchopoulos as Nina
Production
For the project, Elbé undertook extensive research: "I met with social workers, emergency doctors and policemen.. I also saw completely neglected housing estates, where there are no longer any police stations within a 2km radius.. For me, it’s a socially-engaged film.. I took inspiration from the films of Robert AltmanRobert Altman
Robert Bernard Altman was an American film director and screenwriter known for making films that are highly naturalistic, but with a stylized perspective. In 2006, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognized his body of work with an Academy Honorary Award.His films MASH , McCabe and...
, Paul Haggis
Paul Haggis
Paul Edward Haggis is a Canadian screenwriter, producer, and director. He spent his early career producing and directing various American and Canadian television network series.-Early life and education:...
and especially those of Alejandro Gonzalez
Alejandro González
Alejandro González may refer to:* Alejandro Martín González , Mexican boxer* Alejandro González, Jr. , his son, Mexican boxer* Alejandro González Alcocer , former governor of the Mexican state of Baja California...
Inarritu. I told myself it was risky, but there was no reason not to try this in France."
The director also researched the real-life perpetrators of a Marseille bus attack that influenced his narrative, "What shocked me most was that one year later, the youths didn’t speak up during the trial and never asked for forgiveness", explained the director. "As though their prison sentence had served no purpose. And as though our social pact had been shattered to pieces."
Character-driven roles were an important element for Elbe, as he explained the development of his preferred character, Sybil (Elkabetz). "I think of the mother as a cowboy in a skirt. She keeps her dignity, because if she falls, everything else does. Through her, I wanted to pay homage to all those mothers in the banlieues who raise the kids alone because the husband has gone. I chose an actress who reminds me of those great Italian stars of the postwar period, like Anna Magnani
Anna Magnani
Anna Magnani was an Italian stage and film actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress, along with four other international awards, for her portrayal of a Sicilian widow in The Rose Tattoo....
."
At a cost of €5.5m, the film was produced by Alicéleo and France 2 Cinéma co-produced the project. The film also received financial backing from the National Film and Moving Image Centre (CNC).
Reception
The film received a positive reaction from Le MondeLe Monde
Le Monde is a French daily evening newspaper owned by La Vie-Le Monde Group and edited in Paris. It is one of two French newspapers of record, and has generally been well respected since its first edition under founder Hubert Beuve-Méry on 19 December 1944...
newspaper. Their reviewer, Jean-Luc Douin praised the "engaging" film for "tackling society issues and confronting questions of morality". Le Figaro
Le Figaro
Le Figaro is a French daily newspaper founded in 1826 and published in Paris. It is one of three French newspapers of record, with Le Monde and Libération, and is the oldest newspaper in France. It is also the second-largest national newspaper in France after Le Parisien and before Le Monde, but...
praised Elbé for "embracing themes of violence, the code of silence, and love all serviced by a reasonable cast." The newspaper continued to describe it as a "tremendously humane film". It was screened at the 2010 Montreal World Film Festival
Montreal World Film Festival
The Montreal World Film Festival , founded in 1977, is one of Canada's oldest international film festivals and the only competitive film festival in North America accredited by the FIAPF...
and subsequently the city's only English-language daily newspaper, The Gazette
The Gazette (Montreal)
The Gazette, often called the Montreal Gazette to avoid ambiguity, is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, with three other daily English newspapers all having shut down at different times during the second half of the 20th century.-History:In 1778,...
gave the "remarkable drama" 4 out of 5 stars.