Following his Afghanistan-set features “Dust” and “Cinema Jazire,” Turkish author Gözde Klar is ready to return home with “G-Spot of My Soul.” This work is an Almodovar-like literary work that traces the late sexual awakening of a small-town woman.
Kral will write and direct the short story, which is an expansion of Divan Witch, a collection of character portraits by award-winning screenwriter and showrunner Ozlem Yilmaz (Kuzgun). She will also produce through her Toz Film banner, reuniting her “Cinema Jazireh” partners Koskos Film and Seven Springs Pictures.
The new film is set to be filmed in Turkey, but support from the conservative Ministry of Culture and Tourism is unlikely to come after the country stopped funding from Cinema Jazire, which explored gender fluidity through Afghan characters who appear as the opposite sex.
Variety spoke to Krall at the Turin Film Festival, where “Cinema Jazire” was being screened in competition.
“Cinema Jazire”
“I’m not interested in chasing the ministry anymore,” Krall said. “I don’t care about being an approved director. Filmmakers of my generation spend all their time chasing money and forgetting the story. I’m done. This will be my third film, but I’ve found my voice. If I prove myself as a storyteller, the funding will come. I’ll find a way. I always do.”
Krall is also working on an untitled docu-series that tracks the global and sociological impact of soccer (or football, for those outside the United States).
“Soccer is more than just a sport,” she says. “For many people, especially in secular countries like Spain and the Netherlands, football has become almost like a religion. From the beginning, the game had great power, and Galatasaray’s players continued to protect it, but the Ottoman rulers even banned it. The Bureau recognized its influence on young people and began to use it for political and ideological purposes. Today, football clubs represent distinct identities and values, and the team you support is often a reflection of who you are and how you see the world.
While negotiating with several platforms, Krall is also using his ongoing festival tour for research. “When I arrive in a new city, the first thing I do is head straight to the local soccer shop,” she laughs.
