Nadir Saribacak Talks “Healing” Journey Behind Making Award-Winning ‘Gazelle’

The award-winning indie feature Gazelle, from Turkish actor/filmmaker Nadir Saribacak (Winter Sleep, Ivy), is currently playing at Laemle Town Center 5 in Encino, Ca. through October 29. Saribacak, who co-wrote the feature with Ayhan Hulagu and co-directed with Samy Pioneer, talked to Deepest Dream about the incredible journey behind Gazelle. It’s a film that totally grabbed me with its uncompromising storytelling and layered performances. Check out the full interview with Saribacak below for more info on Gazelle.

Read more: Nadir Saribacak Talks “Healing” Journey Behind Making Award-Winning ‘Gazelle’

Yakup (Nadir Saribacak) is a Turkish music teacher who lives in New York and is seeking asylum. He is also trying to get his wife and young daughter from Turkey since the family is in danger. If Yakup returns to Turkey, he will be jailed, and his most logical option is to bring his family to New York. The feature deals with the sacrifices Yakup makes to ensure this ambitious goal is achieved, even if the odds are not in his favor.

For Saribacak, Gazelle is more than just a movie about an immigrant’s struggles. The filmmaker also drew from his own experiences of moving to America and attempting to rebuild his career. Although he had already established himself as an actor in Turkey, Saribacak found himself working different jobs to support his family.

“My first couple of years were so tough for my wife and me,” said Saribacak. “We struggled to adapt because everything happened suddenly. One night I changed my career from acting to Uber driver. It’s normal in the United States, by the way, but psychologically it was tough. We tried to find the answer to how immigrants recover themselves. All of them should face the difficulty, right? How do they overcome the difficulty? How do they figure out the difficulty?”

One of the more compelling aspects of Gazelle is how Yakup attempts to find his footing in America. His sense of isolation is palpable, and Saribacak understands that feeling. Though Yakup’s circumstances are different from Saribacak’s, the filmmaker used his own journey to help shape the character.

“The first couple of years I had a lot of existential questions, and I tried to heal myself, but it was tough,” said Saribacak. “I wanted to get back to my job, but it’s difficult. That’s why my co-writer and I transferred that psychological process to Yakup’s experience. When I started three or four years before, I was an Uber driver, and all of the nights I was getting notes in my mind. Then I would come back in the middle of the night and write the notes.”

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That creative process became an important part of Saribacak’s recovery. Rather than simply waiting for another acting opportunity, he decided to create his own project. Writing Gazelle gave him a renewed sense of purpose, and the filmmaker believes he is in a much better place today because of that experience.

“I never complained about the situation because I got excited,” said Saribacak. “I couldn’t explain to you how I recovered myself. I started healing myself writing writing Gazelle, and I feel better right now after 10 years.”

Although Gazelle is rooted in the experiences of Turkish immigrants, Saribacak hopes the film will connect with audiences from all walks of life. The filmmaker has already witnessed that connection at festival screenings, where viewers have shared their own stories about immigration and family separation.

“It’s not just a Turkish or Kurdish movie,” said Saribacak. “I want other immigrants to understand the process. They share their feelings, the same process their family is going through. That makes me excited and gives me a lot of courage. But I want to say again, it’s not about me. We have a good crew. This is a collective collaboration, supporting each other.”

With Gazelle, Saribacak has not only made a feature that is resonating with audiences, and he has also discovered a new perspective on his creative path. He is currently writing another story, and his Gazelle experience has provided a valuable lesson.

“This process taught me I don’t need to be searching for agents during the 10 years,” said Saribacak. “The pencil and paper is enough. That’s why I started the second story. I don’t want to think about results, just to write because I feel good right now. This process taught me to write again. There are a lot of possibilities, but this process showed me just start. Don’t think too much.”

Full interview with Nadir Saribacak:

Gazelle received award at the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF Vanguard Audience Award) and Dances With Films: New York (Industry Choice Award). Catch the film through October 29 at the Laemmle Town Center 5 in Encino, Ca.

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