Who doesn’t love the idea of murderous squatters? Well, maybe not in the real-life sense, but as the basis for a horror movie, sure. It opens up a few possibilities in terms of what you can do with the idea, and its potential twist on the “home invasion” subgenre. It’s kind of weird that more horror films haven’t used the “who’s invading whose home” idea, really. Enter first-time writer-director Lutfu Emre Cicek, and his entry into this year’s Screamfest Film Festival, Naciye (pronounced “NAH-jee-uh”). Though the effort and attempt to do something different with your debut film is to be applauded, execution is still critical. Does Naciye overcome that hurdle?
Bengi (Esin Harvey) and Bertran (Gorkem Mertsoz) are having a difficult time with the impending birth of their child. As a means of distraction, Bertran has rented out a house off the coast of Turkey for the couple to relax and prepare for the birth. Unfortunately, the house that Bertran rented is still occupied by someone who grew up there, legal rights be damned. The woman, Naciye (Derya Alabora), is neither prepared to or wants to leave the house. In fact, she’s prepared to do anything to remain in her home at all costs.
At face value, the film sounds pretty straightforward in its approach. However, Cicek has woven a couple of different storylines into the film, which gives Naciye a little more meat. Throughout the film, we’re treated to flashbacks of a younger Naciye (played by Ilgın Çakır) and various “difficulties” she had while growing up in the house. There’s more to it than what I’m saying, obviously. Needless to say, the film goes back and forth between flashbacks and the present day, so paying attention while watching this film is required. On top of that, the film has a certain “strangeness” to it, mainly because of the film’s origins. Rather than altering the film to have a more “Western” feeling, Naciye retains its Middle-Eastern Turkish origins. Be it the acoustic score backed by a xylophone and weird scratching noise (believe me, it’s not cheesy), the look of the house, the clothing or the use of horse-drawn carriages, the film manages to have a quality that’s both accessible to Western audiences, yet still feel a bit otherworldly.
When it comes to the acting, Derya Alabora successfully strikes that protagonist/antagonist balance required for Naciye. While you sympathize with the character and her “broken home” origins at various points throughout the film (this is her home, after all), at the same time you’re repulsed by her psychopathic tendencies. I mean, knitting needles are always bad news in a horror film. As for Bengi and Bertran, we find out as the film progresses that they are just as flawed as Naciye. It’s also weird that Esin Harvey and Gorkem Mertsoz are a real-life couple, which makes their heated moments that much more interesting and passionate. While the acting is great, and the use of flawed characters is a treat to see, there’s the problem of that execution.
With all of its ingredients and potential, Naciye struggles to hold it all together. Part of the problem is the film has a padding problem. Too often, we have scenes of characters lingering about in rooms, or have characters engaging in shouting matches that are supposed to add drama, but instead drag the pace of the film down to a crawl, only for it to pick right up again once the scene shifts. The initial roaming of the house by Bertran is a perfect example of this. While the use of flashbacks is great, the use of them while juggling several storylines tends to complicate matters, which really shouldn’t be the case. Throwing in an incest subplot halfway through the film (told via flashback, naturally) also cheapens the main story, and definitely could’ve been left out.
Naciye should’ve been more than it eventually turned into. With a solid cast, a nice twist on a familiar trope, and the esoteric visuals and score, this should’ve been a great debut by Cicek. Instead, with sequences that drag on far too long and flashbacks that undermine the overall pacing, Naciye really needed to dial back and keep things a little more simple. It’s tough to differentiate oneself when starting out, and Cicek again should be commended for trying to mix things up a bit, especially with the retention of Turkish influences. However, the result is a film that attempts too much instead of sticking to its original idea, which undermines what could’ve been.