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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’.”