Featuring many famous actors and actresses such as Kenan Ece, Damla Sönmez, Nezih Cihan Aksoy, Emre Yetim, Tansu Taşanlar and Berk Hakman, "Taksim Hold'em" will compete at the Asian Future section of the 30th Tokyo International Film Festival for two awards. Offering an outside look at polarizations, the film will also premiere at the festival, which will be held between Oct. 25 and Nov. 3 this year.
The Tokyo Film Festival, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, is one of the most important festivals in Asia. Ten films from eight different countries will compete at the Asian Future section, the jury of which comprises of Jose Luis Rebordinos, who is the director of San Sebastian Film Festival, Jung-Wan Oh and Isao Yukisada. "Taksim Hold'em," which is the first feature film of director Micheal Önder, who has made many short films and shot ads and music videos in England and Turkey, will be among these 10 films competing at the festival. Director Micheal Önder and leading actor Kenan Ece will attend the festival, where the world premiere of the film will also be held on Friday, Oct. 27, together with the producers.
Presenting an outside look on those who are force to take sides in a polarized society, "Taksim Hold'em" shows a panorama about humanity through a party that is thrown at a house in the Taksim district in Istanbul province.
Alper refuses to join a protest held near their houses despite the persistence of his fiancée. He wants to play a weekly poker game with his high school friends. His friends come to the house and start to discuss whether they will join the protest or not. While they start the game, a clash starts in the street. The friends let the people in the street take shelter in their house despite Alper's onbjections. Alper is accused of being selfish since he doesn't want to get involved in the events. The quarrel rages with the effect of what has happened. Everyone talks but no one listens to each other. The truth is absolute for every character but these truths are different from each other. If the everyone's truth is untouchable, how can a dialogue be established?
Written and directed by Micheal Önder, "Taksim Hold'em" reveals the director's criticism of a society where the everyone's truth is untouchable in a rough and humorous way. Attracting attention with its characters and story that are created delicately, the film presents a criticism which is independent from a specific time, society and geography.
Jozef Erçevik Amado is the producer, and Tuvan Yalım, Kaan Yazgan and Timur Çambol Micheal Önder's are the co-producers of the film. The director of cinematography of "Taksim Hold'em," which is a Bluff Film production, is Ersin Gök, and the art director is Tolga Coşkuntuna. The soundtracks of the film are prepared by Steady Fingers, and the generic song is composed and sung by Berk Hakman. The editor of the film is Taner Saf, and the sound design is made by Umut Şenyol.
The journey of "Taksim Hold'em," which will start at the 30th International Tokyo Festival, will continue at home and abroad.