Warsame Guhaad Bahdoon

Scale and lighting are notable components of this long take. Ceylan consistently shoots the Anatolian steppes in extreme long shots, highlighting the fragility and insignificance of the men traveling within its expanse. As the caravan of officials scrutinises the surface of the land to no avail, the encroaching darkness further inhibits their ability to identify the location of the missing body. Ceylan observes that he had intended to make the film seem “more naturalistic” by using natural light sources but he found that shooting in the steppes necessitated “huge amounts of light”. During the search, the men attempt to use the headlights of their vehicles to illuminate the landscape. Such efforts generate pockets of light encompassed by large swathes of impenetrable darkness. The resulting images show a space that feels more expressionistic and dream-like than naturalistic. Given the characters’ objective (the finding of Yaşar’s corpse), the surrounding darkness assumes an almost sinister feel – as if the physical setting itself was willfully countering their search. What is sought remains lurking just out of view, prompting a suspicion that the victim’s body is actually present but not perceivable in the darkness. In this section of the film, Ceylan’s repeated usage of long shots and high contrast lighting creates a landscape of absence that threatens to swallow up the caravan.