Sali Review
Not many words are spoken as a young teenage girl spends her day interacting with different people from home to school and back. A day in Istanbul, for a young woman coming to terms with her sexuality, is detailed through nuanced behaviors that could be interpreted in many different ways. Sali (Tuesday) is a twelve-minute short film that showcases an ordinary day in the life of this young girl as she grapples with struggles of being a growing woman in modern day society. The encounters she has with multiple different men, who all intimately interact with her, in harmless or objectionable ways mark the basis for this film. As she grows increasingly aware of the male touch, her initial ignorance turns into confusing erratic behavior.
This short Turkish film, is an effective slow burn drama, that builds tension through ambiguous events until the escalation reaches a point of no return, with a marvelous surprise ending. Despite minimal dialogues, the story is effectively told through facial expressions and the character’s actions. Melis Balaban, who plays the lead role of Asli, is terrific. From beginning till end, she manages to portray the temperamental nature of a teenager and how that is made even more difficult by her gender. The viewers, especially those who are women, will particularly identify with her character as many of the instances are applicable in real life as well. The repeated sexual crimes against women make many fearful even in situations, which may not indicate assault. Thus, many people can identify with Asli’s reactions in the film as she goes about a normal day in her life.
As director Ziya Demirel’s third short film, his grasp on the craft is clear. Despite the short run time, he is able to build the character’s appeal and the audience’s emotional engagement with her. He makes use of a somewhat unstable camera, to indicate realism and transport the viewers into the reality Asli is living. The fast editing in some of the crucial moments is mixed with close-ups to indicate the importance of the actions in the context of the film.
Despite the stylistic excellence and strong message, there are some flaws in the film. The director fails to grip the audience in the first two minutes of the film, due to the slow actions of the main character as she travels to school. Till this point, it is unclear in what direction the film is heading. However, as soon as she begins to have close interactions with different, the intention of the film is made clear and soon it picks up pace.
This film was a selection at multiple different film festivals including the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, TIFF, and Sundance. It was even nominated for the short film Palme d’Or. Since its premiere, the film has received positive reviews. Finally, three years after then, it finally gets released to a general audience. Despite a few flaws, overall the film is effective in conveying its message and making an impact.