
TurkishfilmmakerZekiDemirkubuzisadapting“NotesfromUnderground,”FyodorDostoevsky’sgroundbreaking19thcenturynovel,forhisnewestdirectorialeffort,whichheiscurrentlyshootingintheTurkishcapital.<br/> Filmingforthemovie,called“Yeraltý”(Underground),hasbeenunderwayforfourweeksnow,withactorEnginGünaydýn,praisedforhisportrayalofasmall-townmanintheTaylanBrothers’criticallyacclaimed2009darkcomedy“Vavien,”intheleadingrole.<br/> Demirkubuz,thedirectorofsuchacclaimedmoviesas“Kader”(Destiny)and“Kýskanmak”(Envy),saidthelongscreenplayforthenewfilmwasalooseadaptationofDostoevsky’sexistentialnovella.<br/> SpeakingatapressconferenceinAnkaraonThursdaytopromotehisfilm,Demirkubuzsaidthatatfirst“NotesfromUnderground,”whichisintheformofanexcerptfromthememoirsofabitter,isolatedandunnamednarratorwhoisaretiredcivilservantlivinginSt.Petersburg,servedonlyasaninspirationforhisfilm.“ButasIfocusedmoreonthescreenplay,thecharacter,thecoreissuethere,Istartedrediscoveringthenovel,andasIdiscoveredmoreaboutthenovel,IgraduallystartedturningtothenovelmoreforhelpattimeswhenIwasstuckwithproblemsinparticularwiththenarrative,”Demirkubuzexplained.<br/> “We’realreadyfourweeksintofilmingandIstillhavethislengthyscripttoshoot,”headded.Demirkubuzwasoriginallyplanningtocompletefilminginfourweeks.<br/> Notingthatthroughouthiscareerhehasalwaysmadefilmsthattryto“comprehendthefactthatthehumanisanirrationalbeing”ratherthanthosethatmerelytellstories,DemirkubuzsaidDostoevsky’snovelwas“theultimatepointthatcanbereached”insuchaquest.<br/> DemirkubuzsaidhisadaptationwassetinmodernTurkey,sowas“considerablydifferent,regardingculturalaspects,thanDostoevsky’soriginal,”whichissetin19thcenturySt.Petersburg.Demirkubuz’sfilmfollowsMuharrem,acivilservantinAnkara,playedbyGünaydýn.<br/> DetailsonwhenfilmingwillbecompleteandatheatricalreleasedatewerestillunclearonThursday.Demirkubuzsaid:“Thisfilm…keepsopeningnewhorizonsinmymind.Soweloosenedthetimetableabit.Wewillfinishwheneverwesay,‘Ok,thisisit’.”






