Voyage of the Scorpion (Akrebin Yolculuğu)

Ömer Kavur directed Akrebin Yolculuğu, a surreal-leaning romantic drama. This 1997 Turkish, Czech and Hungarian co-production circulates internationally as Voyage of the Scorpion. It played in the Un Certain Regard section of the 1997 Cannes Film Festival and, at roughly two hours, is seen as a fine showcase of Kavur's dreamlike storytelling and visual style, and as his final feature.

At the center of the story is Kerem, a clockmaker. Handed a key by a stranger, he sets out and eventually finds the clock tower he has been asked to repair. The tower, however, brings him face to face with an enigmatic woman whose whole life is tied to the building. Once she has taken hold of him, strange events begin to pile up around Kerem, and in the mysterious town the very idea of time slowly loses its meaning. Mehmet Aslantuğ, Şahika Tekand and Tuncel Kurtiz lead the cast, with Aytaç Arman, Tomris Oğuzalp, Nüvit Özdoğru, Macit Koper, Kenan Bal and Rana Cabbar also appearing.

Kavur wrote the screenplay together with Macit Koper. The score is by Attila Özdemiroğlu, and filming took place at the Göynük Clock Tower. Its unusual handling of time has divided viewers: some find it absorbing and reminiscent of David Lynch, others far too opaque.