Turkey’s Merve Dizdar wins best actress at Cannes for ‘About Dry Grasses’

By AFP

CANNES: Turkey’s Merve Dizdar won best actress at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday for “About Dry Grasses”, the latest from festival favourite Nuri Bilge Ceylan.

She said she played “someone who is fighting for her life and she has overcome a lot of difficulties.”

“Under normal circumstances I would have to work hard on this character in order to understand her, but I live in a part of the country which enabled me to fully understand who she is,” she added.

“I understand what it is, being a woman in that area.”

In “About Dry Grasses” she plays a former activist rebuilding her life after having her leg amputated from a bombing. She captures the interests of two village schoolteachers, and challenges their cynicism with her own dedication to political activism, in Ceylan’s trademark powerful dialogue.

The film focuses on a dejected schoolteacher frustrated with his life in a remote Anatolian village.

Shot in Ceylan’s visually arresting style, it looks at teacher-pupil relations and the roots of political engagement.

The 36-year-old Dizdar has been starring in films and television since the early 2010s after studying acting and starting out in theatre.

Her roles have included some popular TV series in Turkey, including “Wounded Love”.

Ceylan previously won the Palme d’Or for “Winter Sleep”, among multiple awards he has received over the years at the Cannes Film Festival.

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<br /> CANNES: Turkey’s Merve Dizdar won best actress at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday for “About Dry Grasses”, the latest from festival favourite Nuri Bilge Ceylan.</p> <p>She said she played “someone who is fighting for her life and she has overcome a lot of difficulties.”</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.85 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad200503 " id="quads-ad200503" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.85 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="1823845571"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>“Under normal circumstances I would have to work hard on this character in order to understand her, but I live in a part of the country which enabled me to fully understand who she is,” she added.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });</p> <p>“I understand what it is, being a woman in that area.”</p> <p>In “About Dry Grasses” she plays a former activist rebuilding her life after having her leg amputated from a bombing. She captures the interests of two village schoolteachers, and challenges their cynicism with her own dedication to political activism, in Ceylan’s trademark powerful dialogue.</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.85 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad200503 " id="quads-ad200503" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.85 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="1823845571"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>The film focuses on a dejected schoolteacher frustrated with his life in a remote Anatolian village.</p> <p>Shot in Ceylan’s visually arresting style, it looks at teacher-pupil relations and the roots of political engagement.</p> <p>Merve Dizdarp, from left, director Nuri Bilge Ceylan and Ece Bagcı pose at the photo call for the film ‘About Dry Grasses’ at the 76th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, May 20, 2023. (AP)</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.85 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad200503 " id="quads-ad200503" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.85 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="1823845571"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>The 36-year-old Dizdar has been starring in films and television since the early 2010s after studying acting and starting out in theatre.</p> <p>Her roles have included some popular TV series in Turkey, including “Wounded Love”.</p> <p>Ceylan previously won the Palme d’Or for “Winter Sleep”, among multiple awards he has received over the years at the Cannes Film Festival.</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.85 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad200503 " id="quads-ad200503" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.85 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="1823845571"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>ALSO READ |</p> <p> Japan’s Koji Yakusho wins best actor at Cannes for ‘Perfect Days’, an ode to a toilet cleaner</p> <p>The real winner at Cannes was actress Sandra Hueller</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.85 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad200503 " id="quads-ad200503" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.85 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="1823845571"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>‘Protests over pension reforms in France repressed in shocking way’: ‘Palme’ winner Justine Triet</p> <p>