Can you tell us more about Ali? What effects does he have on Sibel?
C.Z.: Ali is another type of outcast. He clearly symbolises the one we don’t know, the one we are afraid of. This fear is not only specific to Turkey; it goes beyond borders. Whenever people are afraid of something or when they don’t know about someone, they think of it as a threat. They see it as terrorists, migrants, dangerous … Ali embodies all of them just by being unknown to the village. Ali and Sibel both understand each other, without prejudice and without any means of communication, which is capital in the film.
G.G.: Ali brings a new perspective to Sibel, something that she was lacking in life. Sibel has a lot of energy but does not know how to use it and as she is looking for herself, her encounter with Ali actually helps revealing who she really is.