The 26 boys living at the sports academy in the Turkish province of Amasya will endure a lot to realize their wrestling dream. In Young Wrestlers (Genç Pehlivanlar) they face the usual challenges of adolescence in a male dominated environment and contradictory contemporary Turkey. The camera remains observational and discreet while still allowing us to experience their everyday life at close range – somewhere between camaraderie and competition.
Mete GümürhanMete Gümürhan (1975) was born in Rotterdam. He graduated in 2009 from Willem de Kooning Academy Rotterdam Audiovisual Design & Art department. While studying at Willem de Kooning Academy he co-found Kaliber Film in 2007. In 2012 Mete established Kaliber Film in Istanbul. He is based in Rotterdam and Istanbul.; Genç Pehlivanlar/Young Wrestlers will mark his directorial debut. He is currently working on his fiction film-project MNK Boy, which has gained the support of the Turkish Ministry of Culture. He is an alumnus of the Berlinale Talents, IDFAcademy, CineMart’s Rotterdam Lab and EAVE.
- Berlinale (2016) GENERATION SECTION - Special mention Generation Kplus Jury
