Queen Lear

Award-winning filmmaker Pelin Esmer revisits the women from a celebrated documentary she made 15 years ago. Now they are on tour with their own version of Shakespeare’s ”King Lear”.

15 years ago, Pelin Esmer – last seen in Göteborg in 2013 with Watchtower – made a documentary about a group of Anatolian women who made a play about their lives. In Queen Lear she once more follows the same women, who normally work in the fields, as they get on a bus and head off to visit other villages. At every stop, they spend time talking to the female inhabitants about what matters most to them. In the evenings they take to the stage, incorporating some of the topics of the day into the play. Often, the men get their fair share of criticism. The actresses exude a wonderful energy and the film becomes an inspiration to everyone about the importance of discussing everyday problems. It’s great to see Esmer’s Anatolian women back in action!

• Freddy Olsson