In Gürcan Keltek’s debut feature film, New Dawn Fades, the tumultuous life of Akın, a man disillusioned by his repeated hospitalizations, unfolds against a backdrop of profound psychological and spiritual struggle. The film follows Akın’s life after his release from the hospital, marking his estrangement from his former existence. Confined to his family home, his only excursions are to religious sites in Istanbul, where he seeks solace and experiences moments of transcendental emotion. This retreat into spirituality marks a descent into an altered mental state, as he struggles to reconcile with his fragmented sense of self.
Keltek’s film explores the concept of madness as a societal construct. The narrative draws on Keltek’s initial attempt to document the life of a real individual, a project he abandoned due to its intimate nature. Instead, New Dawn Fades incorporates elements from the study of a group of Turkish doctors and physicians who founded an occult and spiritualist movement in the late 1940s. The film captures the protagonist’s final days before his world unravels, blending reality with imagination in a portrayal that reflects Istanbul’s geographical and emotional landscapes. The camera moves in tandem with Akın, inviting the audience to experience his fragmented reality.
Keltek’s previous work, including the mid-length documentary Colony, selected for the 2015 FIDMarseille International Film Festival, and the critically acclaimed mystery documentary Meteors, which premiered at the Locarno Film Festival and garnered multiple awards, including the Special Jury Award at the 2018 Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival and the Best Documentary Debut Award at the 2019 Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival, has established him as a significant voice in contemporary cinema.
New Dawn Fades is produced by Turkey’s Vigo Film, with co-productions from Italy’s Slingshot Films, the Netherlands’ 29P Films, Germany’s The StoryBay, and Norway’s Fidalgo Film Production. International sales are managed by Heretic. The film will make its debut in the International Competition at the Locarno Film Festival, running from August 7 to 17.
Watch the teaser below.
