Hatirlama: A Moving Tribute To A Stranger’s Kindness

That kind smile from a passerby, that encouraging nudge from a newly made friend, that gentle tap from your favourite teacher–we have all experienced them at least once. Hatirlama presents a cumulative effect of these moments. In less than nine minutes, not only does writer-director (as well as editor and producer) Josh Folan transport you within the world of a Turkish antique store, but also your treasured memory of that kind stranger who redefined your journey in life.

Austin Highsmith Garces plays an American tourist passing through Turkey. A chance encounter in an antique store with its owner sets the course to a life that becomes poignant, both to her and the audience. Seldom does one come across heartfelt stories narrated with such simplicity that strikes a chord right from its opening frame. There are no dramatic shots or sound effects. The cinematography is compelling and yet never overpowering the performances. DoP Colin Oh knows that the pulse of Hatirlama lies in its truthful narration. We see Garces enter the store, we follow her, her faint interest in the surroundings raises questions and we begin to feel drawn to her character. Garces lets her eyes do the talking. It’s no wonder then that when Frank Shokouhi, who plays the shop owner Hüseyin, enters the frame, he becomes the voice we don’t have.

The friendly exchange between the owner and the potential customer quickly turns personal and we get pulled into a story that transpires between two strangers in some remote corner of the world. It’s remarkable how a store in California becomes our spot for this Turkish sojourn. Perhaps even more interesting is the background score and the definitive choice in the colour palette that adds a tenor of nostalgia and loss to this film. Folan knows his characters well and his audience even better. He lets the silences and pauses play like the light shimmering through foliage. We are nearly certain of where the story might take us and yet are left feeling stumped at its unraveling.

Shokouhi and Garces have our attention. While Shokouhi’s character keeps saying that he doesn’t forget the eyes of the people he has met, one can’t help but notice his eyes. He truly lets his eyes do the talking. There is such generosity in them that extends into his performance, that it is hard to not be moved by it. At the end, it’s not just an American tourist he manages to move to tears. He does the same for his audience. Without giving away any spoilers, Garces manages to offer such a restrained performance that by the time it begins to spiral out, we join her in the pain and the joy of her discovery. Such is the power of wonderful storytelling that the film becomes a fitting ode to the two strangers from Turkey who inspired this film, as per the credits.

Folan’s Hatirlama is about kindness, hospitality and humanity. It tells the story of strangers and voyagers, travelers and their adventures and how every story ultimately carries the same pulse; that of compassion, and how the universality of it never becomes lost regardless of the time and place it is recounted in.

Watch Hatirlama Short Film