Documentary film
A Gift From God (En gave fra Gud)
After the failed coup attempt in Turkey on July 15, 2016, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan unleashed an unprecedented wave of repression against his opponents. Tens of thousands of teachers, judges, journalists, health workers, and military have been fired, and thousands have been sentenced to jail, many to long-term sentences including life. In this documentary brand, new documents and revealing film footage never shown before will be presented.
The film will illustrate what happened that dramatic night through the voices of the people who witnessed it.
The film also addresses Turkey’s difficult relationship with NATO and Europe. President Erdogan has also accused the US of being the prime mover behind the coup attempt and has in the process gotten closer to Russia. This process could, if it endures, represent a dramatic geopolitical shift. The film thematizes how the country has spectacularly changed since the coup attempt.
Production and distribution
Production Year:
2019
Production country:
Norway
Release date (national):
2019-09-26
Production company:
Integral Film AS
Financing company:
Norwegian Film Institute The Freedom of Expression Fund Fond for lyd og bilde Aftenposten TV SVT DR
Producer:
Jørgen Lorentzen
Film consultant:
Lars Daniel Krutzkoff Jacobsen
Sales agent:
DR Sales
Director
Jørgen Lorentzen
Jørgen Lorentzen is a Norwegian gender researcher, film producer and writer. He has written several books and published a series of articles. As a film producer, he has produced controversial documentaries and TV series for director Nefise Özkal Lorentzen. He has worked as the leader of Norwegian Non-Fiction Writers and Translators Organization for six years. He is currently working as a director at Hedda Foundation.
Nefise Özkal Lorentzen
Nefise Özkal Lorentzen (b. 1964) is a Turkish-Norwegian film director. She holds a Bachelors's degree in political science from the Bosphorous University in Istanbul, Turkey, and a Master's degree in media and communication from the University of Oslo. She has written and directed numerous documentary films, often touching upon controversial themes such as gay Muslims, war, and racial discrimination. In 2008 she also made her debut in fiction, writing and directing the five-episode drama TV-series The Young Detectives. In addition to making films, Özkal Lorentzen has also written several books.
Awards
2021:
Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival Audience Award
