Hazal is celebrating her 18th birthday and wants to party it up: relaxing with her girls and evading the serious questions about growing up – the ones about money, her high school diploma and the apprenticeship that hasn’t been found yet. So – away from the German-Turkish extended family and into the Berlin night life in high heels, glittery dresses, and a hoodie. Easier said than done: on the night of her birthday, Hazal and her friends are turned away from the club door because they don’t look like the regular clientele. Why is it so hard to belong just once? The frustration grows and one event follows the next until Hazal can’t take it anymore and fights back. The nocturnal odyssee in Kreuzberg leads to Hazal’s escape to Istanbul and requires a lot of nerves, sweat, and blood. Hazal is an anti-heroine who defends herself against stupid come ons, and not just verbally. She is a young woman who loudly storms out of an interview when given empty promises instead of swallowing the frustration down. Hazal creates space where she can – and there isn’t a lot of it there for her. With ELLBOGEN, Fatma Aydemir’s brilliant novel debut finds its way to the big screen. It premiered at the Generation 14+ section at this year’s Berlinale. Director Özarslan Asli auditioned actors for months until she found non-professional Melia Kara in the main role. She performs in a very raw way – the character of Hazal does not want to be a victim. Between everyday racism, violence, and a lack of equal opportunity, some questions remain open. Just how much sympathy and understanding one can have for Hazal for her own transgressions may ultimately be the most difficult question - and deserves a lot of space.

Anna Hantelmann

Translation: Elinor Lewy