Head-On
Short description
Head-On, released internationally under its original German title Gegen die Wand, centres on two Turkish-Germans living in Hamburg whose paths cross in a psychiatric hospital. Cahit, a man in his forties worn down by heavy drinking and drug use, survives driving his car into a wall while intoxicated. Sibel, roughly half his age, has harmed herself to escape a devout family that expects her to become a dutiful Muslim wife. Since marriage is the only way out of her parents' control that she can see, she persuades Cahit to marry her on paper, offering to keep house for him in return for the freedom the arrangement gives her.
Directed and written by Fatih Akin, the film sits between his 2002 feature Solino and the 2005 documentary Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul, and he also produced it. Sibel Kekilli and Birol Ünel lead the cast as Sibel and Cahit, with supporting roles including Güven Kıraç, Meltem Cumbul and Mehmet Kurtuluş among the 28 credited performers. A German and Turkish co-production, it took about 11 million dollars worldwide.
Its reputation rests largely on its two central performances and on a story that moves between the couple's growing attachment and the pressures of family and tradition. On TMDB it holds 7.5 out of 10 from 648 votes.
What's left behind the scenes
- Most of the actors filmed in their own clothes. This was done to make them feel less constrained, but mainly due to budgetary limitations.
- In the scene where Jahit crushes glasses with his bare hands, chemical substances were used. Birol Ünel's hands were covered with a special compound that turned red when it came into contact with the liquid in the glasses (plastic).
- All filming was done on location and almost always with natural light.
- During filming, doctors told Birol Ünel that he needed to stop drinking, otherwise a fatal outcome was inevitable. The actor quit drinking and lost a lot of weight, which is noticeable in the second part of the film. At one point, he became so ill during the work on a scene that filming had to be stopped.
- In one of the scenes on the streets of Istanbul, a cat runs across the frame from left to right. The animal ended up in the shot by chance and added a certain symbolism to the scene. During final editing, it was decided to leave these shots in.
- All three actresses playing the wives with whom Sibel speaks auditioned for the role of the main character.
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