Hot-headed farmhand Eyüp decides to kill foreman Hemme. In this brilliant debut from Turkey, a train of unexpected circumstances derail revenge plans offering an exquisite tribute to the beauty of everyday life.
An extremely effective blend of social issues and existential ponderings, and firmly establishes Fıratoğlu as an essential new voice in contemporary cinema.
One of Those Days When Hemme Dies 2025
Hemme’nin öldüğü günlerden biri
Under the scorching sun of the Anatolian summer, farm workers scatter and salt tomatoes to dry. In the striking opening act of Murat Fıratoğlu’s debut film, we experience the unbearable heat and the pouring sweat of the labourers as if we were there with them. Then, as an insignificant squabble turns into a furious brawl, farmhand Eyüp vows to kill foreman Hemme. Fueled by the heat, Eyüp’s anger seems uncontrollable and tragedy looms.
Yet, Fıratoğlu, who is a lawyer by trade and who wrote, directed and starred (as Eyüp) in this self-financed no budget debut, leads us down an unexpected path. Inspired by the disarming simplicity and moral clarity of the classic films of Iranian grandmaster Abbas Kiarostami, Fıratoğlu turns his film into an elegy of the little things and fortuitous happenings that make every day of our lives worth living. Awarded at Venice and hailed as the best Turkish film of 2024, One of Those Days When Hemme Dies is a rare cinematic gem whose disarming charm will puzzle you, question you and ultimately conquer you. — Paolo Bertolin