Takva: A Man's Fear of God
A devout recluse's promotion into Istanbul's religious-commercial establishment turns spiritual discipline into a crisis of guilt, power, and forbidden desire.
Overview
A man's unwavering faith is tested by the temptations of the modern world.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- austere
- oppressive
- intimate
- quiet evening
- arthouse film night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a richly textured and thoughtful Turkish drama exposing the hypocrisies produced when fundamentalist religious ideals enter commercial life.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Muharrem's appointment as a rent collector reveals the wealthy religious group's commercial operations and hypocrisy.
His administrative duties make Muharrem proud, domineering, and dishonest despite his strict devotional life.
The recurring image of a seductive woman torments Muharrem in dreams and waking mental life.
The film moves Muharrem from solitary prayer and abstinence into Istanbul's property dealings and social conflicts.
Films like Takva: A Man's Fear of God, and why
Of Gods and Men
shared focus on religious devotion, moral conflict, and oppressive social structures in a restrained art-house drama
Silence
shared examination of faith, temptation, and the collision between spiritual ideals and worldly power
First Reformed
shared intimate psychological drama about religious belief, guilt, and identity under social pressure
Winter Sleep
shared Turkish arthouse sensibility, spiritual unease, and tension between tradition and modernity
Movie Details
- Director
- Özer Kızıltan
- Release Date
- 2006-12-01
- Runtime
- 96 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (92)
Cast
- Erkan Can
- Güven Kıraç
- Meray Ülgen
- Erman Saban
- Settar Tanrıöğen
- Engin Günaydın
- Öznur Kula
- Murat Cemcir
- Müfit Aytekin
- Duygu Şen
Common questions
- What is Takva: A Man's Fear of God about?
- A devout recluse's promotion into Istanbul's religious-commercial establishment turns spiritual discipline into a crisis of guilt, power, and forbidden desire.
- What is Takva: A Man's Fear of God like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Takva: A Man's Fear of God as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Takva: A Man's Fear of God violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Takva: A Man's Fear of God.
- What did critics think of Takva: A Man's Fear of God?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a richly textured and thoughtful Turkish drama exposing the hypocrisies produced when fundamentalist religious ideals enter commercial life.
- Which films are like Takva: A Man's Fear of God?
- Films with a similar feel include Of Gods and Men, Silence, First Reformed, and Winter Sleep.
- How long is Takva: A Man's Fear of God?
- Takva: A Man's Fear of God runs 96 minutes.
