I met Didem Şahin through my girlfriend at the time. From the very first meeting, my heart boiled. Didem was a vibrant person who pursued what she believed in to the end, refused to compromise her principles, read extensively, and, most importantly, researched.
To get to know Didem, who has produced many important documentaries throughout her career, you can read her biography at http://www.kameraarkasi.org/yonetmenler/didemsahin.html . I’d also like to share a wonderful interview with her: https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/didem-sahin-belgesel-sinemaci-bir-hikaye-anlaticisidir-haber-1538584
What truly saddens me here is that someone who, despite all the hardships she faced, produced important work in documentary filmmaking, passed away at such a young age, just as her career was about to take off.
Our First Meeting and Common Grounds
When we first met, about 10 years ago, we found common ground and spoke about these topics in detail. Let me list the first things that came to mind. The first topic we discussed was documentary filmmaking. He explained the challenges and details of the work to me. He always talked about the importance of documentaries for keeping memories alive. I, personally, preferred documentaries to fiction because they always taught me something new. I love documentaries and have great respect for those who contribute to them. I used to tell him this.
The second was a documentary he wanted to make about animals, especially stray animals. A love of animals was one of our common ground. We were thinking about how to provide better lives for stray animals, whose average lifespan is three years.
The third was her Circassian identity. She was of Circassian descent, as was my mother’s mother. She told me about the different Circassian ethnicities, the history of the Circassians, what they endured throughout history, and how they migrated to Turkey. She criticized the Sochi Winter Olympics and even made a documentary about it called “No Sochi!” It was a tremendous act of courage to do so back then. Today, in these times of tension between Ukraine and Russia and the heated debate, you can better understand the significance of her accomplishments. This strong woman did everything she could to make that documentary and leave her mark on history.
She was one of the most sincere people I’ve ever met.
Fourthly, her work was in civil society. When we met, she wanted to help those in need in Africa. I contributed, however small, to this endeavor. She was happy that I supported her.
And of course, every time we met, we saved our country. We would talk about social inequality, justice, and how to solve all sorts of problems in our country. She was one of the few genuinely genuine people I’ve ever met. When you talk to someone like that, the trust you feel allows you to let down your guard and reflect on your own inner selves. Because of all these qualities, I always kept in touch with my ex-girlfriend years after I broke up, and our friendship continued. We recently lost this lively person to cancer. Unfortunately, she had endometrial cancer, which metastasized and spread to her lungs. I understand she received treatment early last year and recovered. She spent the summer in Bodrum and is doing very well. She even gave a wonderful speech when her family’s film, Aci ve Tatlı, won an award at the Antalya Film Festival (you can watch this speech on the Aci ve Tatlı film’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/755994953/posts/10159874909419954/?d=n) . Everything was going well, but she fell ill upon returning from the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival. Subsequent treatment was unsuccessful, and she died very shortly thereafter.
“Keep my film Acı ve Tatlı (Bitter and Sweet) alive.”
I use mish because, unfortunately, I wasn’t there when she went through all this; I wasn’t aware of what had happened. That’s what saddens me most. I wish I could have spoken to her before her death. Her destiny was to attend the memorial service at Soho House recently. I hope she’s at peace where she is now.
She made one final request to her close circle: “Keep my film Aci ve Tatlı alive.” I’m fulfilling that last request myself through this blog post:
In her latest film, Aci ve Tatlı (Bitter and Sweet), to which she dedicated the last three years, she tells her family’s story. In the film, her grandmother, Nermin Hanım, leaves Turkey for Germany as a worker in 1963 and takes her three daughters, whom she entrusted to their father, with her. Didem was born in Dortmund.
When she learns that her grandmother’s memory is fading, she decides to visit her. She grabs her camera and, like her grandmother and other Turkish immigrants, boards a train from Istanbul to Germany. This train journey becomes a journey through time. As the missing pieces come together, a portrait of her grandmother Nermin’s life as a migrant worker emerges. Nermin, who lives in Stuttgart, now suffers from Alzheimer’s.
You can watch the trailer for the film at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7UyvcXfL8s . I highly recommend it. I’m not usually someone who gets emotional in movies, but this one really hit a nerve. They really nailed the emotional delivery in this film about real-life events. Kudos to Didem and the entire film team for their hard work.
A Shower of Awards in a Short Time
Here’s a look at the awards that “Acı ve Tatlı” has won in a short time:
- 11th Malatya International Film Festival, National Documentary Feature Film Competition, Best Documentary Film Award. 2021
- 58th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, National Documentary Film Competition, Competition, Commended Film Award. 2021
- European Film Market, Turkish Cinema Catalogue, Boğaziçi Cinema Association, Documentary and Short Film Selection. 2020
- European Film Market, Turkish Cinema Catalogue, 69th Berlin Film Festival, Feature Documentary Selection. 2019
I’d also like to share a wonderful article about him: http://www.cinedergi.com/2021/12/20/muff-10-yasinda/?fbclid=IwAR2VqLugMBDqR6KnqPhcmUVlF-g9apFPFPMe6Dgb-bMyRNElmToz2ureof0
The final award announcement comes from the master…
Finally, I’d like to conclude my article with the announcement made by renowned documentarian Coşkun Aral at the Malatya Film Festival:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27IB3RUjZsg
“The film we watched is extraordinary. It’s a truly laborious effort, from local to national, and from national to universal. I truly congratulate our fellow producers and everyone involved. The other documentaries were also very good, but as I said, it was a unanimous decision. (…) The Best Documentary Award goes to a man who bravely defied social norms in his own personal story, and who The Best Documentary Award was unanimously given to the documentary ACI VE SWEET for telling the story of a woman who went to Germany as a worker to change her children’s fate, in a way that parallels her process of self-realization with the socio-political and cultural history of the period, and with powerful cinematography.
You are always with us, Didem. May you Rest In Peace, may you Rest In Peace…
Tag: memoir
