From Zeki Demirkubuz to Nuri Bilge Ceylan: 'Are you the headman of the Cannes Film Festival or what?'

While the 'plagiarism' debate that has been ongoing for many years between Nuri Bilge Ceylan and Zeki Demirkubuz continues, Demirkubuz made new statements regarding the dispute they are having with Ceylan.

Participating in a live broadcast on Habertürk, Demirkubuz responded to the question from the program's host Haluk Mertbey: "Three films are mentioned in this polemic. The first of these is the film 'Baba' (The Father) directed by Yılmaz Güney. Did you discuss the film 'Baba' with Nuri Bilge Ceylan?"

Responding to the question regarding the "stolen screenplay" allegations about Yılmaz Güney's film 'Baba', Demirkubuz said, "It is shameful that the only director in the country with a global reputation has fallen into such situations. I don't know why he did this. I don't understand why he did such a thing 15 years later. There is definitely a motive behind it regarding the Nuri Bilge I know."

Noting that Ceylan told film critic Tunca Arslan in a culture and arts publication that he had not watched the film 'Baba', Demirkubuz refuted Ceylan by saying, "I gave him the film myself. We talked about it later."

'THREE MONKEYS' RESPONSE

The book for the film "Winter Sleep", for which Nuri Bilge Ceylan won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014, was published recently. In the book, Ceylan responded to the allegation that he shot the film "Three Monkeys" by plagiarizing Zeki Demirkubuz's screenplay.

Stating that Zeki Demirkubuz knows the truth, the director had used the expressions, "There is no such thing, but for some reason, he prefers to create the impression that there is. I think he is being very shameful. After all, we were friends for so many years, we helped each other so much."

"HE SHOULD NOT BE BASE"

Ceylan had ended his assessment of the subject with the words, "Moreover, in an interview he gave years later, he even said that he had not watched the film 'Three Monkeys'. How can a person imply such things about a film he claims not to have watched? I don't know. Yes, perhaps I was the one humiliated here, but the one who is base is definitely not me."

Demirkubuz responded to these words of Nuri Bilge Ceylan by saying, "I have not watched 'Three Monkeys'. He mentioned implications and such. He should not be base. Because I do not imply things; if there is something, I say it straight out."

'HE HAS BEEN RESENTFUL TOWARD ME SINCE 2006'

Demirkubuz also evaluated Nuri Bilge Ceylan's words that "We stopped talking to each other for an unimportant reason" and said, "What is that unimportant reason? I shot 'Yeraltı' (Inside) in 2012. He has been resentful toward me since October 2006."

Arguing that Ceylan reads his own screenplays, Demirkubuz said, "I have not read a single one of his screenplays. If he doesn't sit at home, grit his teeth, and sit still as he always does, if he makes a peep after this program, starting from tomorrow, if he pushes me over the edge, then I will start again on everything."

Highlights from Zeki Demirkubuz's statements:

"Let him come out and explain why he is resentful. Or I will explain it now. Let him come out and answer. He did something crude in 2006, but I won't say it now. If he makes a peep, then I will tell them all one by one.

I didn't say anything thinking about becoming gossip material for people; I just put distance between us. We were never very close friends as it is said anyway. He wasn't someone I would ask for bread money if I were starving. But he was a friend I met with, like Semih Kaplanoğlu or other friends. But I moved away when I felt nauseated, yet our relationship didn't break. He made a very crude move during the editing of 'Climates'. He shot that, I shot 'Kader' (Destiny).

That year, 'Kader' wove its webs at the Antalya Film Festival; they increased the best film award to 300 thousand liras. 230 thousand dollars... It has no equal in the world. While sitting in the hotel lobby on the day the award ceremony was to be announced, he came, all cool and smug... There was also a jerk from Cannes on the jury, a friend of his. There was even a joke about it there, he probably got a signal from him, he was in high spirits.

'I CALLED OUT TO HIM BUT HE DIDN'T LOOK...'

He was talking to me, he came and sat at our table, we chatted. That same evening, they came—his producer, his wife, himself—they sat in front of us during the ceremony, they didn't talk to me at all... Ebru said she was devastated when she watched 'Kader' two days ago; we were on good terms. Anyway, they came, he wasn't talking. I even called out to him from behind, he didn't even look.

Anyway, I said he must have a problem. He won two awards, he came out very resentful and such. Then, I swear on everything, there is not a single thing about 'Kader'... We didn't have any expectations anyway. Just before the best film award was announced, he fainted. He went, they picked him up, I even tried to help... I called after the ceremony to ask if he was okay.

His producer Zeynep Atakan answered the phone, said he was fine and such, brushed it off. From that day on, he didn't talk to me. Even two days after this, he was sitting with another director friend on Mis Street. I went to him to ask if he was okay, he turned his head. What is this? You are passing off something that started on this night in 2006 as 'Three Monkeys'.

"ARE YOU THE HEADMAN OF CANNES?"

Then I asked a relative, someone very close to him. He told me, 'You are speaking against the Cannes Film Festival. Zeynep heard it, told him. That's why he is resentful.' Damn, are you the headman of Cannes or what? What is it to you? You keep fabricating lies whenever you need them..."

WHAT HAD HAPPENED?

The book for the film "Winter Sleep", for which Nuri Bilge Ceylan won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014, was published recently. In the book, Ceylan responded to the allegation that he shot the film "Three Monkeys" by plagiarizing Zeki Demirkubuz's screenplay. Stating that Zeki Demirkubuz knows the truth, the director had used the expressions, "There is no such thing, but for some reason, he prefers to create the impression that there is. I think he is being very shameful. After all, we were friends for so many years, we helped each other so much."

Ceylan had ended his assessment of the subject with the words, "Moreover, in an interview he gave years later, he even said that he had not watched the film 'Three Monkeys'. How can a person imply such things about a film he claims not to have watched? I don't know. Yes, perhaps I was the one humiliated here, but the one who is base is definitely not me."