SYNOPSIS
In Turkish, ‘ara’ can variously mean ‘gap’, ‘break’, ‘space between’, ‘distance’, or ‘search!’. Ara is the story of four people who love cheat each other at the same time. They hurt each other but can’t break up; they are caught between the past and their stormy relationships, between Istanbul and the ‘homes’ they can’t get back, between their lies and innermost secrets, between east and west. They are stuck ‘space between’.
The action unfolds in a single location, a flat, and the camera leaves only once but various other visuals -from commercials and TV series for instance- sneak into the film. Spanning around ten years, the story is told in intervals between these visuals.
SELECTED FESTIVALS AND AWARDS
- Istanbul Film Festival (2008): Special Jury Prize and Best Actor Award (Serhat Tutumluer)
- Adana Golden Boll Film Festival (2008): Best Screenplay and Best Actress (Selen Ucer) Awards
Director UMIT UNAL
 Born in 1965. He studied cinema in Dokuz Eylül University, School of Fine Arts between 1981 and 1985. He made three short films during his school years, which won various prizes in national short film competitions. His first screenplay, My Aunt (Teyzem), was made into film in 1986 and won the biggest prize in the Screenplay Competition of Milliyet Daily. His other screenplays are: My Dreams, My Love and You (Hayallerim, Askim ve Sen), Billioner (Milyarder), Devil My Friend (Arkadasim Seytan), Piano Piano Bacaksiz, Berlin in Berlin, American (Amerikali), Summer Rain (Yaz Yagmuru). Ümit Ünal also published 3 books: American Beauty (Amerikan Güzeli, 1993), Alphabet of Love (Askin Alfabesi, 1996), The Tail (Kuyruk, 2001). He has worked as a copy writer and a creative director in international advertising agencies since 1990. In 1997 he started directing TV commercials. Since 1999, he is a freelance director/writer. His first feature film as a director, 9 (2002) and later Istanbul Tales (Anlat Istanbul) in 2005 which he co-directed were screened and received many awards in national and international film festivals, including the Boston Turkish Film Festivals in 2004 and 2006.
Selected Filmography:
Ara (2007)
Istanbul Tales (Anlat Istanbul, 2005)
9 (2002)
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