Our Grand Despair

The peaceful cohabitation of bachelors Ender and Çetin is disrupted when they allow a friend’s sister to move in with them. The 30-something longtime friends are overwhelmed by the presence of the uncommunicative Nihal. What possessed them to accept the responsibility of a university student in their home? Especially a girl struggling with the trauma of recently losing her parents in a car accident. But simple daily rituals like sharing meals eventually bring the three roommates together for more pleasant moments. Nihal soon comes out of her depressed shell and the two men discover a vibrant beautiful young woman. Always caring and protective gentlemen, Ender and Çetin are intent on being conscientious guardians. Nihal enjoys discussing literature and poetry with scholarly Ender, and she finds comfort in boisterous Çetin’s earthy humor. Nihal is touched by the men’s loyal friendship: in a sort of bromance since high school, Ender and Çetin now seem like an old married couple... Before they see what’s coming, both men fall in love with the enchanting Nihal. But Ender and Çetin don’t want to disrespect their good friend nor confuse his still-fragile sister. Ender and Çetin seesaw between feeling like protective fathers to acting like nervous school boys, wondering if they should confess their true feelings to Nihal...

Our Grand Despair is Seyfi Teoman’s second feature film. His first feature 2008’s Summer Book premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and was later nominated as Discovery of the Year at the European Film Awards. The film won Best Film and the FIPRESCI Prize at the İstanbul Film Festival, as well as receiving awards in Taormina (Italy), at Artfilm (Slovak Republic) and Montreal.  Teoman was born in Kayseri, Turkey in 1977. After studying economics at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, he lived in Lodz, Poland for two years, studying film directing at the  National Film School. Teoman is currently preparing his new film Saints.