MIFF | 8° Film Festival Internazionale di Milano - Cars of the revolution / Tolga Ornek / Taner Birsel, Haluk Bilginer, Charles Carroll Cars of the revolution Taner Birsel, Haluk Bilginer, Charles Carroll
The year is 1961. A military controlled government is in power in Turkey. The country with no substantial industry is in debt and dependent on foreign aid. The people’s morale has been low for many years. The head of the military government, General Cemal Gürsel, is determined to upstart a national industry and boost the country’s confidence. He wants to prove to everyone in and outside of the country that the Turkish people can change their destiny and accomplish anything that they set their mind into. He orders the impossible: a Turkish automobile is to be manufactured in 130 days in time for the Republic Day Celebrations. The car has to be completely local; materials and labor have to be Turkish. Quickly, the project polarizes the country and becomes a confrontation between the believers and the skeptics. Many think that the project is a waste of time and resources. For the engineers and their families, the car becomes a symbol of national perseverance and will power. The team of engineers moves ahead against all odds and obstacles. The project unites the engineers, but takes its toll on their families. Nevertheless, their wives are by their side, trying to encourage them to prove that “it can be done”. Days pass by quickly; the opposition convinces the general to add, in the middle of the project, a second car is ordered. It looks like the project is doomed to failure. But, the engineers welcome this second challenge as well and persevere.
