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I Was, I Am, I Will Be

Name: I Was, I Am, I Will Be
Director: İlker Çatak
Released: 2019
Duration: 122 min

Representation Score

6.1/10

Good

2019

Director

İlker Çatak

Runtime

122 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

I Was, I Am, I Will Be is a sophisticated exploration of identity that places queer experiences at the heart of its storytelling. By centering the narrative on the negotiation of self within traditional frameworks, the film avoids reductive clichés and offers a deep study of self-discovery. The film broadens the cinematic landscape by grounding its themes in a Turkish context. This cultural specificity allows for a meaningful critique of restrictive social structures and the tension between personal truth and societal imposition. While the film excels in its subversion of straight-centered structures, it offers less disruption regarding traditional gender roles. The focus remains primarily on the intersection of sexuality and cultural identity.

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Category Breakdown

Does I Was, I Am, I Will Be have LGBTQ+ representation?

Excellent

The film centers queer identity as its main theme, exploring the emotional complexities of same-sex attraction and how characters navigate their existence within rigid social landscapes.

How does I Was, I Am, I Will Be portray gender?

Fair

Characters pursue authentic connections and demonstrate ability to act. However, the film focuses more on challenging sexual norms than on disrupting traditional gender roles or hierarchies.

How racially and ethnically diverse is I Was, I Am, I Will Be?

Good

The story provides a departure from Western-centric perspectives by using a contemporary Turkish setting. This localized lens offers a cultural specificity that moves beyond Anglo-centric storytelling models.

How does I Was, I Am, I Will Be represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative challenges social norms by framing the struggle for acceptance as a central conflict. It prioritizes personal authenticity over established cultural orthodoxy and institutional mandates.

Does I Was, I Am, I Will Be include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no significant evidence regarding the depiction of physical or neurodivergent disabilities within the narrative.

Present on Screen

Centers queer identity as a core narrative element rather than a peripheral subplot.
Uses a contemporary Turkish setting to provide a non-Western perspective on identity.
Offers a sophisticated portrayal of identity formation that avoids common clichés.

Limited or Absent

Could explore more the restructuring of traditional gender roles.
Lacks representation of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

While Kurdish gigolo Baran dreams of a future in Europe, German pilot Marion is struggling to come to terms with her cancer diagnosis. When the two meet at the Turkish holiday resort of Marmaris, they engage in a kind of double-cross and decide to enter into a sham marriage. After a promising beginning, a shared future seems well within their reach. But things turn out not to be quite as simple as that.

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