gül

When the fringes of a carpet or piece of clothing become entangled or intertwined with the fringes of another carpet or piece of clothing, there emerges a new, unpredictable pattern that no longer obeys the principles of order and origin, but rather creates multiple ratios of components. The individual fringes, in a sense, lose their own discrete identity by hooking onto, knotting, and entangling themselves with the others, thereby forming unruly ornaments that deviate from the actual original design. gül is like this sort of beautiful fringed carpet, as it constantly weaves the outer edges of a multilingual and transcultural nature without ever aiming to reach a point where these fringes could be unraveled.  

Gül works and lives with a Turkish-Austrian family in a Turkish beach town: where Gül comes from (she speaks Russian and Ukrainian in addition to Turkish), whether she is related to the Kumpas family or not, whether she is employed by the family or is just helping out, where she will move on to, whether the Kumpas family lives in the town or is just on vacation – all of this is left in radical limbo. Gül is surrounded by a melancholic indeterminacy and homelessness, but at the same time a tender bond develops between her and the family’s youngest daughter, Filiz, so that they are united in speechless solidarity at the end of the film. It could also be said that they have become intertwined. The shared perception of the place creates an understanding for one another that was not possible through language. (Sulgi Lie)