Sidewalk Sisters :: Yaşam Arsızı

This is the true story of three sisters whose lives are ruined after witnessing the death of their parents in a car accident. The traumatic event leaves the two younger sisters mentally ill and the older one desperate trying to care for them, topped with her two children and her alcoholic husband. She finds herself working in nightclubs and inevitably has to choose between her children and her sisters. This film is about a system that turned a blind eye to the plight of these women; two schizophrenic siblings and their sister who dared to survive a life filled with regret, humiliation, conflict and heartache.

06.06.2008: Variety.com : "Yasemin Alkaya unfolds the tragic story of a childhood friend..."
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21.04.2008: Press: "People must act in solidarity with schizophrenics"
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20.04.2008: Press: "What kind of life for schizophrenics"
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19.04.2008: Press: "Hope for schizophrenia"
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05.03.2008: "Sidewalk Sisters" is selected for "International Istanbul Film Festival" in documentary section

How did you find your childhood friend Elif, how did you get involved in her story?: Actually, she found me. When i was nine, we were living in the same building. Both our fathers were revolutionists and we were debauched children... For me, it was a very important friendship. We couldn't see eachother for a long time. When i was around for festivals with my film, "Candle scented women"(Mum kokulu kadınlar), she had saw me in papers.
Elif's two siblings, Aysun and Funda were too young when they saw the accident. The disease didn't show up instantly right?: Doctors says that schizophrenia is genetical. It's not such a disease, they can live in public easily. What Aysun and Funda had passed is a big drama and misfortune. The worst part is public cruelty.
So what do we need to do?: Local governments must build hospitals. Ministry department have to aid with laws in the issue. There are 400 thousands of schizophrenic in Turkey and even no outpatient treatment facility yet.
In the first scenes i asked myself if it's a story of a fall or resistance now i can tell that it's a resistance...: Absolutely. Elif is a strong warrior. No matter what, she resist. Because her children are alive...

Aysun - Funda

Still from movie

Aysun - Funda

Still from movie

Short synopsis: This is the true story of three sisters whose lives are ruined after witnessing the death of their parents in a car accident.
Exact Runtime: 02hr:02min:00sec
Date of Completion: February 2008
Country of Production / Filming: Turkey / Turkey
Yasemin Alkaya: Director, Producer, Executive Producer
Umut Altinok: Production Manager, Asistant Director, Location Manager, Asistant Editor
Elif Caglayan: Lead Actor
Thomas Balkenhol: Picture Editor
Bernadette Paassen: Cinematographer/DP, Camera Operator
Cem Adiyaman: Musics, Post production