LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Fatih Akin is riding two horses as the Oscar race for foreign-language feature rounds the far bend, heading to the January 22 announcement of Academy Award nominations.
For while Akin is director of "The Edge of Heaven," Germanys entry this year, he also is one of the producers of "Takva," Turkeys official submission.
Akins dual allegiance is only fitting, of course, since he was born in Hamburg to Turkish parents. His mixed heritage is reflected in his films.
"Heaven," which Strand Releasing will distribute stateside, revolves around three family pairings -- a Turkish father and son, a German mother and daughter and a Turkish mother and daughter -- whose lives interact as the story shuttles between the two countries. Structurally, its a twisty movie, with plot lines that overlap, sometimes tracking back in time, and title cards that announce the impending deaths of central characters even before the audience is fully introduced to them.
But while the subject matter allows the director to continue to explore dueling cultures, the specifics of the plot did not come easily to him. In fact, after the international success of 2004s "Head-On," he admits to struggling with writers block.
"The whole thing was a bit like a puzzle," Akin says of "Heaven." "I collected a lot of bricks, but I didnt know what to do with them. I think the first brick was meeting (iconic German actress) Hanna Schygulla at a film festival while I was touring with Head-On. She expressed a desire to work with me, and I knew I wanted to work with her."
In "Heaven," Schygulla plays the German mother, who has difficulty understanding why her daughter has befriended a young Turkish woman.
About working out the screenplay, Akin says: "Im a fan of the work of Guillermo Arriaga, the writer of 21 Grams and Amores Perros. I really like how these sort of stories are told. I wanted to try something different from my own work. Its not possible to tell this story in a chronological way. The film has a structure that is more like a book, like literature."
Akins efforts havent gone unnoticed. "Heaven" picked up an award for its screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival this year and was honored for its screenplay at the European Film Awards this month.
Meanwhile, through his Hamburg-based production company Corazon International, Akin also is busy as a producer, having helped set up the financing for Ozer Kiziltans "Takva," the Turkish film about a devout Muslim who takes a job as a rent collector only to find his fundamentalism challenged as he ventures into the modern world. The film was written by Akins friend, Onder Cakar.
"Im very comfortable as a producer," Akin says. "I trust the vision of the director, and so my company helps find money for them. When I produce, I express my ideas and might also offer ideas about editing, but I dont force anything on anyone."
While "Takva" focuses on conflict within the Muslim world, "Heaven" looks at the conflicts between Muslims and the West. Says Akin: "I think its good for cinema. Whenever there is a clash or conflict, you have to put that on camera. And conflict makes for drama."
"Heaven" suggests that culture clash can result in mutual understanding, but, says Akin: "I dont try to create a certain tolerant culture. Im not a missionary on these things. But my idea is that facing the death of a human being is the same no matter which color or nationality."
Reuters/Billboard
