Turkish Troubles

November 10, 2014

Destination: AFI Fest, Hollywood

Cost: $4.50 plus gas

Another week, another film festival. This time it’s the AFI Fest – Los Angeles’ longest running filmfest, originally started as Filmex in 1971. The LA Times (one of the event’s sponsors) published a promotional insert/schedule in last week’s newspaper, and I quickly noticed that tickets for many of the films were free.

Say no more. I jumped online and procured a seat for an upcoming screening of The Blue Wave at the TCM Chinese Theatres. The subject matter was appealing – a tale of four teen girls in a mid-sized town in Turkey, going through the same sorts of growing-up problems that we all face. I hoped the 1:15 p.m. screening time meant I’d avoid traffic.

I arrived early, hoping to find a place in Hollywood to park for free. After scouring the residential streets below Runyon Canyon, I found that Hollywood Boulevard west of La Brea has unmetered parking from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Score! The film should be done by 3:15 p.m. and it was only a ten-minute walk to the theater.

Once in the Cineplex, I was surrounded by typical SoCal scenesters – including students, a few retirees and a Stewart Copeland lookalike. The film’s two female directors, Zeynep Dadak and Merve Kayan, welcomed us warmly and then the lights went down. The next two hours were spent following the life of Deniz in the small city of Balikesir. One of the best things about foreign films is that you can experience new places without the cost of airfare. 

The Blue Wave, explored the universality of teenage conundrums – planning for an unknown future, lusting after guys, making bad choices and worrying about the consequences. I enjoyed the film’s focus on the importance of music in teen lives – there were scenes with the girls dancing, sharing music on laptops with friends, practicing for a talent show and singing in the car. During the Q and A after the film, the directors explained that the soundtrack consisted of Turkish hits from the nineties, as well as new tunes penned for the film by kim ki o. The directors have previously filmed music videos, and this perspective is apparent in their first feature.

Back out among the tourists on Hollywood Boulevard, I made a quick walk four blocks east to Skooby’s Hot Dogs near the corner of Cherokee, across from Musso and Franks Grill. I ordered a garlic dog with sauerkraut and spicy mustard for $4.50, which was surprisingly delicious. I walked and ate my way back to the car, arriving just in time at 3:57 p.m. Who says you need to spend a lot of money to have a great afternoon in Hollywood?