New Movie About Molokans in Kars, Turkey
"Deli Deli Olma" opens
April 17, 2009
Lead role is Mishka, a Molokan miller near Kars
See movie trailer (2.5 min).
Molokan watermill near Kars. Photo by Erkan Karagöz, a consultant on this film.
Mishka's father (uncle) dies.
Molokans come to Kars.
Molokans come to Kars.
Camera on crane filming Molokan wagon train.
Directing actors playing the Molokans
Mishka's family comes.
Mishka's family at
campfire.
Mishka with cows.
Local geese actors.
Mishka's mill-house shows Molokan photos, embroidery, rugs, etc.
Ailing Mishka is given a ride by Alma's family to join Molokans in Russia.
Akan learns to knit his socks in the Molokan-style from woman who knew Molokans.
Actors, crew and reporters resting around a fire.
Last day shashlik barbeque party with villagers, cast and crew.
Mishka
was compared to Heidi's grandfather Alp.
Alan took piano lessons too.
Altın Portakal Festival program (Flash program) shows "Piano Girl" screened in AKM Aspendos Hall, at 20:30 (10:30 p.m.) Monday, October 12.
Update April 27, 2009 — The most personal review of this movie was published yesterday by attorney, author, and Molokan historian Erkan Karagöz.
Update April 25, 2009 — Movie reviews are showing low audience attendance and confusion about orgins of Molokans. Most comments are very postiive. One is from a guy who gew up with a Molokan neighbor.
Update April 24, 2009 — ErkanKaragöZ sends a correction.
Update April 5, 2009 — Two Molokans in Turkey, Ivan and Ludmila Denisenko, Turkey sent comments about the accuracy of this movie.
Update April 3, 2009 — This first fictional film about Molokans is to be released nation-wide in Turkey on April 17, 2009. It is now in post-production, so information is somewhat limited. Erkan Karagöz reports on March 29, 2009 that selection of Molokan singing for the sound background editing is in-progress.
Update Sept. 2009, Vedat Akçayöz (Ukchuyez) writes that he was a technical consultant for the movie and he played in the film. His role was a teacher at the music conservatory.
Most of what has been released so far has been summarized here, probably with some errors, from many Turkish press reports, blogs and the film website. There's no information yet about when the film will be available in the US, how much it costs, or if it will have English subtitles. The official film summary says:
 After
the Russian 1893 War (which was between Russia
and the Ottoman Empire)
Molokan congregations, from Russia, are forced* to migrate to Kars
including Miska's family. [*Most
moved voluntarily]As Mishka grows old in Kars and operating the only mill in the village, he falls into financial difficulties in the 1970s when modern machines came out. The cranky old woman of the village Popuch, hates Mishka and does not want him to live in their village. But the villagers do not see a harm in benevolent Mishka, and even like him so they don't choose sides between Mishka and Popuch. Popuch, lives with her son Semistan, daughter in law Figen, and three grandchildren. The smallest and wayward of her grand-daughters Alma, who is an affectionate girl, has a natural ear for music. Alma's teacher, Metin, recognizes Alma's musical ability thinks it must be evaluated. There is a warm friendship between Alma and Mishka. Alma enters Conservatory exams as a result of the teacher's work ... Meanwhile Mishka gets sick and they talk in the village that he will die soon. And finally two old people Miska and Popuch question their histories and big secrets are revealed. |
The new Turkish film "Deli Deli Olma" is about a Molokan man, Mishka (Mike, no last name), who operates and lives in his family's old water-powered flour mill near Kars, Turkey in the 1970s. He is the last Molokan left in his village and can no longer continue to operate the mill. He is miserable with no family nearby, out of work, and a village woman hates him. He has dreams and flashbacks of his life in Kars. Mishka finds a new purpose in his aging life with his old piano and a young music student.
The movie title can be translated from Turkish into English as: "Are you crazy crazy", "Crazy Rave", "Mad Rave", or "Really crazy". "Deli Deli Olma" is a fictional film showing how Molokans are remembered in Kars. The theme is unfulfilled love, wrapped with authentic history of Molokans and rural village life of the area.
The star, Mishka, and his father (or uncle) stayed in Kars region while most all relatives, Molokans and Jumpers, moved to Russia in 1961-62. Mishka is the only Molokan character for the entire film. His father (or uncle) dies early in the film in a flashback. There's a wagon train of Molokans who appear to be arriving in Kars in a flashback, judging by the older wagons.
There's tension between Mishka and some relatives over past events. As the story evolves, two old histories are questioned and secrets revealed.
Mishka is a stereotypical Molokan man as remembered in Kars, with a white beard, hair parted in middle, who operates the old water-driven flour mill built by his family. He's the last remaining Russian in a Turkish village. He has photos and flashback dreams of his departed family and childhood. The film is about Mishka's life, his ups and downs, and love — of course, its a movie.
Now alone, Mishka can no longer compete with new electric milling technology and is out of business. He gets sick and perhaps dies at the end of the film. In between this dramatic tragedy is a comical love story. See movie video trailer (2 min, 37 sec).
After shutting down the mill, Mishka gets poorer. He sells apples. Mostly old people remain in his village, and he gets a little sympathy from his neighbors. He is especially hated by the cranky old woman Popuch (played by Sherif Sezer, a Turkish actress). Mishka can no longer tolerate living in his home village and wants to move. But, where to? This is his lifetime hometown.
The lead role of Mishka as a 70 year-old Molokan is played by Turkish actor Tarik Akan who is 62 years old. Akan has a feeling for the people and knew the locations well. He attended elementary school nearby in Ardahan, were Molokans once lived, and visited Kars and the surrounding villages many times in his youth. It's reported that Molokans in Kars personally helped him act and talk like a Russian Molokan, and authenticate the film. [See Ivan's comments below.]
With nothing else to do, Mishka decides to learn to play his piano again. He attended the Kars music academy for 6 weeks in his youth before his family left for Russia. He retrieves his old piano stored in the barn, used as part of a fence to keep the cows in, covered with hay. Mishka finds joy in playing the piano. Then he finds a purpose in life by helping Alma, the youngest grand-child of his enemy Popuch. Alma has a talent for music which she inherited from her father.
Mishka's loans his piano so Alma can take piano lessons. The neighbors love the new entertainment, but Popuch hates the piano and Mishka for wasting Alma's time with piano lessons. Popuch attacks Mishka and goes on a rampage to destroy the piano.
Akan actually plays the piano in the film because he was coached by the Kars Music Conservatory between fiming his scenes. During promotion, Akan visited music schools.Vedat Akçayöz (Ukchuyez) writes that he was a technical consultant for the movie and he played in the film. His role was a teacher at the music conservatory.
The story gets interesting and complex with flashback scenes of Mishka and Popuch in their youth when they fell in love. They could not continue their romance because they were from different cultures and religions, and never married.
Though Popuch is against her grand-daughter Alma studying music, with the support of the village and hard work, the talented Alma earns a seat in the Kars Music Conservatory, and a way out of the village into the modern world. Local Molokans report there is no such conservatory in Kars.
After their secret former romance is revealed, Mishka and Popuch forgive each other, but Mishka becomes ill and is dying. The ending is not yet revealed but it appears from the film trailer and images posted that Mishka is taken by Alma's family to Russia to die with his relatives there, which could explain why he is riding in the wagon lying down near the end.
Most actors appear to be Turks, and some of European origin. It is not revealed yet if any Molokans or descendants of Molokans appear in the film, but it is reported that many local Molokans helped with the dress, costumes, set design, props, locations, story line and singing.
The film shows the actual rustic rural life in Turkey at that time for most Molokans. Roads are not paved. Transportation is by horse or on foot. Modern appliances are mostly absent. Alma has a TV. Farm animals abound: cows, sheep, geese, chickens. Buildings are of rock, adobe (mud brick), heated by fire.
The snow scenes were produced outdoors in weather as cold as minus 30 degrees Celsius (-22° F), tough for the film crew and actors who only wore authentic clothing for the scenes, then had to bundle up in heavier coats and stand near electric heaters and fires. Akan said he kept warm by drinking a lot of hot tea, realistic for a Molokan, and roasted potatoes in the fire coals. The snow is real and weather much colder than it looks, even inside.
Historic accuracy was a high priority. The costumes are authentic or close reproductions of Molokan styles, and fabric. Some were loaned by local Molokans and residents. The local people in Kars and Çalgavur (Chakmak) helped sew and knit the wardrobe, socks, Russian shirts with rope belts, cardigan sweaters and coats in the Molokan-style. [See Molokan items below.] Some authentic clothes and photos were loaned and used in the film. A local Turkish woman taught lead actor Alan how Molokans knitted their socks.
Information about Molokans in Turkey has increased in Turkey recently. News articles, several books, a 2008 photo exhibit and documentary film about Molokans and Jumpers in Kars researched and produced by Vedat Akçayöz have highlighted the fact that Turks recognize how their life and culture in Eastern Anatolia, particularly in the Kars region, has been enhanced by the Russian sectarians who moved there more than 100 years ago. See more about Molokans and Jumpers in Turkey
The Russian sectarians created a different culture in this region of Turkey by bringing new technology, soap making, Gruyère cheese (a Swiss-type now called Kars Gravyeri), new agriculture, food plants, electricity, new breeds of the "Malakan" horse and "Malakan" dairy cow, and other lasting changes. Many of the abandoned Russian buildings are still in use.
In a interview published on Dec 28, 2008 Akan says that Molokans were "... very resourceful for Kars. They bought the first gravyer cheese, potatoes, flour mills, beekeeping, and their agriculture with them." He also said his character is from the Crimea, the "Milky Waters" region of the South Ukraine. He also said he met and talked with two Molokan families now living in Kars, and they helped authenticate the costumes, background and story.
For viewers not familiar with Molokans, the film notes that Russian sectarians separated from the Orthodox and moved into Kars province during the Russian invasion of Turkey in the 1877-78, and they went back to Russia in 1961. Probably not stated in the film is the fact that sectarians actually moved out in waves — in 1899-1900 (many Doukhobors to Canada), 1905-1912 (Molokans and Jumpers to the US), ~1926 (Russian sectarians to east Rostov, USSR), and 1961-62 (most all Old Believers, Molokans and Jumpers to north Stavropol' and Astrakhan provinces, USSR).
In an interview published January 29, 2009, lead actor Akan states that he extensively researched the character for accuracy "... all the colors ... of the Molokans hair to the shoes ... A Molokan who watches this movie, will not find an error." [See Ivan's comments below.]
Akan was also told: "Now there are about 3 million Molokans in the world, some in Turkey." There should be that many descendants of Molokans in the world, but much less identify themselves as ethnic Molokans, and only about 15,000 regularly participate in Molokan and Jumper religious worship service around the world.
Akan continues: " ... the basis of the piano is to tell the story of the journey. Together they show a sense of life, human love, and loneliness which is a host to many emotions." He then voices his opinion, shared by many Turks, about the government forcing the Russians out of their country. "Here in Turkey there were policy mistakes against minorities. If they were not sent to Russia in 1962, thousands of Molokans would now be in Erzurum, Ardahan, and Hopa. Today our geography would be ten times more beautiful. These people were more prosperous and a pleasant experience. Of course we can not prove it, because they are not living here today, we can only speculate. But they have left and we have their culture in this film. ... We are telling you something very true. ... to love the beauties of the minority culture. We're telling people to love each other ..."
The village scenes were actually filmed 18 miles (29 km) east of Kars in Eşmeyazı village. No Russian sectarians lived there, but the village provided a good typical rustic example and close to Kars city. Molokans and Jumpers lived in valleys north and south of Kars city.
"Deli Deli Olma" a film drama produced in Kars, Turkey, opens April 17, 2009, in theaters across Turkey. Filming started December 3, 2008, and was completed in 5 weeks, on January 6, 2009. Well-know Turkish actors Şerif Sezer and Tarık Akan have leading roles. The roles of them as youth were played by their own real children. Written by Yılmaz Güney and Şerif Sezer. Directed by Murat Saraçoğlu. Cost $2 million. Distributed by Pinema Productions.
The Turkish entertainment press reports that the lead actors in this film, Akan and Shezer, were last paired in a love story 28 years ago in a popular film "Yol" ("Road"). This is their third film together. In this film the young actors that played them in their youth are actually their own children in their first movie roles. The idea for the kids to play the parents came from the kids' siblings.
Akan promoted education by visiting schools in the area, telling kids that he also went to school in Kars region and urged the kids to read more and continue their education. Music schools got a boost from the film.
Some newspapers reported that Mishka looks like grandfather Alp in the popular Turkish version of the illustrated children's book "Heidi" written by Johanna Spyri in 1880. Heidi is required student reading in Turkey, has been made into many movies since 1920, and translated around the world.
E-mail from Molokans and Friends in Turkey
From Ludmila Denisenko [Ivan's sister, West Turkey]Date Sat, Apr 4, 2009 at 11:08 AM
Subject Re: Deli Deli Olma
Although it is a very good thing a Molokan story is put on film; but I am very sorry and afraid that the film may have inevitable errors. They never tried to consult anybody [among us Molokans].
Let's be positive and wait
Ludmila
Ludmila
From: Ivan Denisenko [Ludmila's brother, Istanbul]
Date Sun, Apr 5, 2009 at 6:39 AM
Subject Re: Deli Deli Olma
New Movie About Molokans in Kars, Turkey
Dear Andrey Conovaloff,
There are several mistakes on this statement :
- After the Russian 1893 War >>> should be 1877-78
(common mistake made even by historians; this last war is known as '93
war' but! it's not 1893 ! )
- Mishka decides to learn to play his piano again,,
>>> Molokans were playing piano in Kars vilages ? My point of
view : this is unreal !
- Kars music academy >>> never existed ! but as far as I know there were 'Public Houses' where young people learnt to play piano, violin etc. after Ataturk's revolution.
Again on: Sun, Apr 5, 2009 at 5:24 PM
There's another point I forgot to mention :
'' The Russian sectarians created
a different culture in this region of Turkey by bringing new
technology, soap making, Gruyère cheese (a Swiss-type now called
Kars Gravyeri) ''
Very different people from different origins lived in Kars as well as Molokans.
Jewish, Greek, Estonian, German... Probably this very famous Kars Gruyère cheese is brought by Germans and not Molokans. Have to prove I'm wrong ! [In Turkdoghan's 1962 PhD thesis, published in 1972 and republished in 2005, he credits Molokans with introducing Gruyère cheese to Kars province.— Andrei]
Well, we are not talking about Stone Age, not to be able to reach the correct knowledge is inadmissible. Turks used to say : '' Atarsan destekli at ''.
I wish you a very nice spring, Thank you for giving me the news !
Ivan Denisenko
From: erkan karag?z <aequitas44@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009
Thanks a lot for your reply and for the information [links to Molokan singing]. The company that has made the film has got nothing to do with me; I don't know them, and they don't know me and I was NOT the consultant of the film [Deleted above]. They didn't ask me anything about the film during the production of it. But when it came to the music, songs, they have been told that it would be right to ask Erkan K. about the copyrights of the music as he is one of the best to know about the Molokans. That's why they came in touch with me and I asked you for some information.
Luckily, that has been very useful. According to the information you gave, the music is the music of the Molokans who lived in Kars. And that's really important for the film. Thank you very much, ...
... As far as I know, at that time, the Molokans in Kars weren't interested in music, especially in the piano, because of their religious belief.
--
Avukat ErkanKaragöZ
Aequitas Hukuk-danışmanlık
0-212-2342915 -2196453-
Fax:231 07 51
0532-2231950-0535 2885853
Halaskargazi cad.Saksı sok.13/3
Şişli-İstanbul
http://erkankaragoz.com
More later ...
Translation of poster: (actors) Tarik Alan, Sherif Sezer; (theme) A small world, The Story of a huge heart; (title) Crazy Rave.
See movie trailer (2.5 min).
Mishka the Molokan miller is played by actor Tarik Akan.
Popuch and Mishka.
Young Mishka and Popuch, played by the older actors' kids.
Young Mishka is played by the lead actor's actual son.
Young Popuch is played by the lead actresses' actual daughter.
Third movie with lead actors together, first roles for kids
Popuch on one-horse wagon
Lead actors check script on set.
Makeup, checking messages.
Popuch in their village store.
Alma's father joking outside their store, playing a broom.
Mishka and Alma sell apples.
Camera dolly set for street scene of apple stand.
Mishka brings piano.
Piano lesson.
Popuch tries to destroy piano.
Popuch moves out the piano she hates.
Molokan items in movie (authentic and similar):
 Photo |
 Photo, teapot |
 Bedding |
 Teapot |
 Towel |
 Towel |
 Belt, shirt |
 Chair, rug |
 Stove, spoon |
 Bench, rug |
 Samovar |
 Towel hanging |
 Rug |
 Towel, table |
Movie websites:
- Deli Deli Olma.com (Turkish) (English)
- Movie trailer also at YouTube.com
- Facebook.com
- Deli Deli
Olma.com /Galeri — 25 photos
- Flickr.com
by Canburak
— 344 photos (26 Nov 2008, 13 Feb 2009)
- Sinema.com — 35 photos
- Sinemalar.com — 31 photos
- Dizifilm.com — 50 photos
- Flickr.com — 38 photos at press conference November 2008
- Forum
DivXPLANET.com — 12 photos, poster, trailer
- 2008 November 17 — Sadibey.com, Deli Deli Olma
(Crazy Rave)
- 2009 January 7 — Bir masal kahraman (A fairy tale hero), Deli deli olma filminin çekimleri Kars'ta devam ediyor (Movie Crazy Rave is being filmed in Kars.)
- 2009 January 7 — Deli Deli Olma Blog, “DELİ DELİ OLMA” Filminin Çekimleri Tamamlandı (Filming of movie "Deli Deli Olma" is finished)
- 2009 February 22 — KaRmaLizma, “Deli Deli Olma” filminin afişi hazırlandı! ("Crazy Rave" movie posters are made!
- 2008 November 26 — Turkcell, Deli Deli Olma tanıtıldı (Crazy Rave is introduced)
- 2008 December 24 — Çevrimiçi Haber, 62'lik
Jön Heidi'nin Dedesine Benzedi (Similiar to the grandfather in
the 1962 "Heidi")
- 2008 December 28 — Haber Doksan, Tekrar “Yol” dalar, bu kez yanlarında çocukları da var (Repeat of the "Path", this time with their children)
- 2008 December 13 — Kars Manset, Tarık Akan Kars 'ta Çorap Ördü (Tarik Akan knits socks in Kars)
- 2009 January 1 — Haber Takimi, Malakanlar'ın
öyküsünün çekimleri bitti (Filming the
Molokans' story is finished)
- 2009 January 26 — Magazin Sortie, Tarik Akan Eski İşleri Yalamak Bize Yakişmaz (Tarik Akan revives unworthy old stories)
- 2009 January 26 — Sabah gazetesi, Sine Life.net, Filmde
hiç hata bulamazlar (No mistakes in this movie)
- 2009 February 27 — Günaydin Magazin, 'Deli Deli Olma' filminin afişinde aile saadeti var (Family is happy with 'Crazy crazy' movie posters)
- 2009
March 10 — Hürriyet, Küçük
dünyada kocaman yürekler (Small world and big hearts)
- 2009 March 11 — Gazet Port, Tarık Akan, oğlu ile aynı filmde (Tarik Akan, son in the same film)
- 2009 March 16 — Bungün Magazin, Ünlü oyuncudan piyano resitali (Celebrities from player piano recital)
- More soon ....
Reviews — Translation help is needed to expand these reviews in English
- 2009 April 21 — Millyet — The first Caspian Jews who are strict about religion arrive in Kars. [Error Molokans were not Jews, but Judiasers, Christians who adapted some Jewish traits.] Now only a very few remain in the world. ... Everything affects the lives of the characters in the film ... poverty, deprivation, ignorance, isolation, ethnic discrimination, love, profanity, humor, melodrama, drama .... That "unbelievers" [in Islam] can be a human being is so beautiful. I love you and love the unbelievers and the intensity of feelings of pain and wasted years of history can are lost. ... I suggest you watch it. It's good of course.
- 2009 April 22 —Yazisler — 'Deli deli olma' is a fiasco. The interest in this movie has been low during the first week in theaters. Only 17,312 have seen the movie which cost about $2 million.
- Cerik
Savran — The piano has a leading role. Beatoven music. 35 mm film
shows
excellenct scenery. Overall the movie was really good and recommended
for families, except
for the ending. [Error in a statement that Molokans were "forced" to
migrate to Kars.]
- Sinemas inemadir — I laughed and weeped a few tears, and I was sadden. The story was both hot and cute. [Mishka may have found money hidden in a shoe.] The film ended sad but in a happy way.
- 2009
April 23 — Cemal
Yeşilyurt — The film is a
true work of art. One of the Molokans was our neighbor. We were both
just 7 years old, his name was Vova [Vladimir]. His mother had died,
and he lived with his father. He had a bright yellow circle of hair,
and blue eyes. The little known facts of the reality of the Molokans is
shown on the silver screen for the first time. The are peaceful,
against war, and don't have the strict rules of non-Orthodox churches.
It is an understanding and gentle religion, with tolerant and
compassionate people ... They taught the local Kars people to make
Gruyere cheese. They are experts in milling. They are named
milk-drinkers. Hard working, they produce great honey, milk, cheese,
flour ... It's ossible to see in this film that there was both dry and
warm heart-felt friendships between the different races, like a horse
can be [friendly, then stubborn]. We need something like this so much
that no matter what the cost, surely we must protect these values. I
still know one family in Kars district.
- 2009 Apriil 26 — Erkan Karagöz, Piyano çalan bir molokan ya da “Deli Deli Olma” (A Molokn plays the piano, or "Crazy Rave") — He appears disappointed that the piano has a central role because Molokans and Jumpers he grew up with and knew well rarely played musical instuments. And he seems to not approve of the way the lead actor portrayed the elder Molokan Mishka. A Molokan would not live in a mill, though Turks moved into abandoned Molokan mills. More when translated.
- 2009
October 12 — Sundays Zaman — Altın
Portakal (Golden Orange) International Film Festival, AKM Antalya
Culture Center, Antalya: ... The foyer of the festival's premier venue was
humming for the gala
screening of Murat Saraçoğlu's “Deli Deli Olma” (Piano Girl), a
comic
drama set in a snowy village outside distant Kars. The village's last
Molakan (a little-known ethnic group expelled from Russia by the tsar
after the 1877-78 Russo-Ottoman war) befriends a local girl and
encourages her latent musical talent, with the help of the Molakan's
ancient piano. Entertaining if melodramatic, the rapt audience gave it
a standing ovation.
- 2009 October 18 — Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Report — International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival Awards, Best Music Award: Mehmet Erdem-Özgür Akgül for “Piano Girl”, which included Molokan singing, 20.000 TRY (US$14,000)
- 2009
October 30 — Todays Zaman — Ten new Turkish films are in the
running for best picture and best director awards at this year's Bursa
International Silk Road Film Festival, slated to mark its fourth
edition in November in the northwestern province, ... Five of the 10
titles in the running for Silk Road's Golden Karagöz awards, which
come with modest cash prizes of TL 50,000 for best film and TL 25,000
for best director [TL: 1 Turkish Lira = 0.66 US$ (30 Oct 2009)], are
entrants that missed out on big prizes at this month's Altın Portakal
(Golden Orange) International Film Festival in Antalya. They are ...
Murat Saraçoğlu's “Deli Deli Olma” (Piano Girl), a comic drama
about two cranky elderly Molokan immigrants in a distant eastern
Anatolian village; ...