by Mark Deming
synopsis
Filmmaker Mehmet Bahadir Er was inspired to make this film after a massive earthquake hit Northwest Turkey in the summer of 1999, claiming the lives of 15,000 people. In Zilzal (aka The Earthquake), a house collapses during an earthquake, with a teenage girl trapped inside. As the girl is left to wonder when or if help will arrive, she discovers her video camera is within reach, and she leaves a message reflecting her hopes and fears during her long wait. Zilzal was screened in competition at the 2007 Rotterdam International Film Festival.
