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Reha Erdem’s mesmerizing micro-cosmos in ‘Kosmos’
It all begins near the snow-covered outskirts of the town; a young woman (Türkü Turan) is running along the river, screaming at the top of her lungs. Her younger brother has fallen into the freezing river and is being taken away by the current. In comes a strange young man who calls himself Battal (Sermet Yeşil) but also refers to himself as “Kosmos.” He saves the young boy from the river, but there is something strange here -- he literally revives the boy’s lifeless body just by hugging him.
It isn’t long before Kosmos becomes a local hero and is welcomed by the townspeople. However, there is something quite odd about this man; he is a vagabond, no one knows where he comes from, his clothes resemble those of a hobo, he continuously utters sentences that could come from the Ramayana, the Bible, the Quran or Kierkegaard. He speaks like a prophet, and he could well be, apart from his habit of stealing and looting.
But apart from Kosmos, this town has many interesting characters and a singular situation of its own. For one, it’s a border town, and the constant sound of the distant sirens and bombs always pushes us to contemplate a looming threat. The town is governed by soldiers, who themselves reflect the absurdness of being stationed in this strange town.
As Kosmos starts healing everyone in the town, he is at first embraced but later ostracized for his special powers. He might have pure intentions when he falls in love with Neptün (the sister of the boy he saved) -- they create a special language of howls and yelps they communicate in -- but for all his crazy ways, he will not be understood by the people. We wait to see whether he will stay here or whether his journey into faraway lands will continue.
“Kosmos” is not an easily digested story; at times confusing and complicated, it requires emotion and a sense of familiarity with divinity rather than logic, for this film could come right out of any holy book that dares to tell a story of the human condition and the true nature of the creature we call man. The character Kosmos is the epitome of a prophet, or perhaps even a shaman, who speaks through a divine voice and is sent to help the people, though he will not be understood. The existential aspect of the film is much more important than any other.
What will surely remain in the memories of the viewers is not only the impeccable sound design of the film (Erdem has always been incredibly meticulous in this sense), which boosts the awesomeness and the sublimity of the story, but also the incredibly beautiful cinematography. The frames of the town are composed so beautifully through the master shots of the vast winter landscapes and the intoxicating aloneness of the town.
The young actors must also be mentioned at this point. Yeşil does a wonderful job with his half-crazed look, bulging intelligent eyes and his soft-spoken voice; you could almost believe that he is a man sent from a higher plane. As Neptün, young actress Turan is alluring in her compassionate grace.
“Kosmos” could be the most mature and sublime film by Erdem to date as he once again proves that he is one of the true auteurs of Turkish cinema.
The film requires much patience and attention in order to grasp the full nature of this colossal production, yet it is a must-see for anyone who is ready to embark on a soul-seeking visual journey.
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