Kuş (Birdie)

“A bird. A tiny bird.
Whose same air I breathe.
Whose same nature I share.
This pretty bird is my friend!”
Çağatay Ulusoy

Synopsis

“Kuş” (Birdie) narrates the story of an old and ailing fisherman, who exists at the subsistence level — i.e. at an income that provides only enough money for his most basic needs. Indeed, he barters his catch for food items at a local store and lives in a decrepit hut by the water (BTW, the same hut where the “Menajerimi Ara” episode starring Çağatay Ulusoy was filmed in the late summer of 2020.) Unfortunately, the fisherman has a serious medical condition that might lead to the amputation of his leg and, in turn, to his ruin. An operation that might save his leg is available, but he cannot afford it. One day, he rescues an injured goldfinch from a raptor just outside his hut, and his life will never be the same…

General Information

The 20-minutes-long film was shot in the Çatalca peninsula between December 2019 and January 2020. “Kuş” stars Turgay Tanülkü as the aged fisherman, and Ersin Arıcı as the shepherd. Both actors recently co-starred with Çağatay in “Kağittan Hayatlar” (Paper Lives.) Atalay Ulusoy (Çağatay’s younger brother) is credited as the main editor of the film. Mehmet Bozali is the executive producer. Taylan Adıyaman and Nida Şan curated the photography and the music, respectively.

Turgay Tanüklü as the old fisherman in “Birdie”

The news that Çağatay Ulusoy had started to work on his own film surfaced less than two years ago. He first mentioned it during an interview with GQ Middle East magazine, released in connection with his 2019 award as “Television Actor of the Year.” Surrounded by the utmost secrecy, the film was originally announced under the title “Azadlık Saka” (approximately translated as “Freedom Goldfinch.”) It was only in early 2021, however, that fans discovered that the short film, which he wrote, directed, and produced under the title “Kuş” (Birdie,) had been selected to participate in several prestigious international short film festivals. This is not Çağatay’s first time behind the camera. He already directed a short film a few years ago in Los Angeles entitled “Home” on the topic of homelessness, which has never been released to the general public.