Introduction | “The Watchman”
Ali Cherri’s The Watchman is now showing exclusively on MUBI.The Watchman (Ali Cherri, 2024).In the turbulent history of Cyprus, the village of Louroujina stands as a poignant testament to the island's division. Nestled in the northern part, it now resides under the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Before the 1974 division, Louroujina was a harmonious mix of Greek and Turkish Cypriots. However, the conflict resulted in the displacement of the Greek Cypriot population, leaving the village predominantly Turkish Cypriot.Louroujina has transformed into an isolated enclave within Greek Cypriot–controlled territory, accessible only through a narrow corridor to Northern Cyprus. The main road to Lympia, blocked since 1974, lies only 300 meters from the roadblock in Louroujina, but the current journey stretches over 77 kilometers, symbolizing the physical and emotional distances imposed by the geopolitical rift.The Watchman unfolds against this backdrop. We follow a Turkish Cypriot young soldier stationed on the division line for his military service. Tasked with monitoring the border from a watchtower, the soldier’s routine duty takes a surreal turn as he begins witnessing strange occurrences on the Southern hills—mysterious lights moving with unknown intent.As the soldier’s nightly visions persist, scenarios of a potential enemy attack occupy his thoughts. Uncertain and hesitant to inform superiors, the soldier summons courage to investigate up-close. His inquiry leads him face to face with an army of “ghosts”—soldiers who died on the front, returning as revenants haunting the hills. With this supernatural twist, I wanted to anchor the film in a socioeconomic and political reality of Cyprus, blending fiction with a stark examination of historical scars.The Watchman (Ali Cherri, 2024).Since my “Telluric” trilogy, which delves into how violent crises are inscribed in specific environments, I have worked on extending cinematic exploration as an entry point to history through the materiality it produces. The Watchman seamlessly continues this trajectory, maintaining its focus on Cyprus while introducing fictional narratives imbued with the supernatural.My recurring figure of the guard portrays a complex and multifaceted presence. In The Watchman, the guard takes the form of a young soldier stationed at a closed border. The hills that once represented "the enemy" become a canvas for fantasies and imagination. The film deepens its exploration by framing waiting not just as a temporal experience but as a spatial one. The soldier finds himself ensnared in the false crests of duty, unfolding a poignant tale of wasted life waiting for an enemy that may never arrive, compelling him to invent one.Cyprus has long been the “echo-chamber” of Lebanon, with conflicts in Lebanon reverberating on the island. The influx of Lebanese refugees during the Lebanese Civil War significantly impacted Cyprus’s social and cultural fabric. Nicosia, the “last divided capital in the world,” mirrors the history of divided Beirut. The echoes of the Beirut port explosion on August 4, 2020, reached Cyprus, emphasizing the interconnectedness of these regions. The complex border situation in Cyprus, recognized as a border by the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and as occupied land by the Greek Cypriot, serves as an entry point.With The Watchman, I wanted to encapsulate the intricate interplay between history, geopolitics, and individual experiences. I truly believe that storytelling transcends borders, both physical and thematic, creating a narrative tapestry that resonates universally through the soul of Cyprus and, by extension, echoes Lebanon’s tumultuous history.
Ali Cherri’s The Watchman is now showing exclusively on MUBI.
The Watchman (Ali Cherri, 2024).
In the turbulent history of Cyprus, the village of Louroujina stands as a poignant testament to the island's division. Nestled in the northern part, it now resides under the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Before the 1974 division, Louroujina was a harmonious mix of Greek and Turkish Cypriots. However, the conflict resulted in the displacement of the Greek Cypriot population, leaving the village predominantly Turkish Cypriot.
Louroujina has transformed into an isolated enclave within Greek Cypriot–controlled territory, accessible only through a narrow corridor to Northern Cyprus. The main road to Lympia, blocked since 1974, lies only 300 meters from the roadblock in Louroujina, but the current journey stretches over 77 kilometers, symbolizing the physical and emotional distances imposed by the geopolitical rift.
The Watchman unfolds against this backdrop. We follow a Turkish Cypriot young soldier stationed on the division line for his military service. Tasked with monitoring the border from a watchtower, the soldier’s routine duty takes a surreal turn as he begins witnessing strange occurrences on the Southern hills—mysterious lights moving with unknown intent.
As the soldier’s nightly visions persist, scenarios of a potential enemy attack occupy his thoughts. Uncertain and hesitant to inform superiors, the soldier summons courage to investigate up-close. His inquiry leads him face to face with an army of “ghosts”—soldiers who died on the front, returning as revenants haunting the hills. With this supernatural twist, I wanted to anchor the film in a socioeconomic and political reality of Cyprus, blending fiction with a stark examination of historical scars.
The Watchman (Ali Cherri, 2024).
Since my “Telluric” trilogy, which delves into how violent crises are inscribed in specific environments, I have worked on extending cinematic exploration as an entry point to history through the materiality it produces. The Watchman seamlessly continues this trajectory, maintaining its focus on Cyprus while introducing fictional narratives imbued with the supernatural.
My recurring figure of the guard portrays a complex and multifaceted presence. In The Watchman, the guard takes the form of a young soldier stationed at a closed border. The hills that once represented "the enemy" become a canvas for fantasies and imagination. The film deepens its exploration by framing waiting not just as a temporal experience but as a spatial one. The soldier finds himself ensnared in the false crests of duty, unfolding a poignant tale of wasted life waiting for an enemy that may never arrive, compelling him to invent one.
Cyprus has long been the “echo-chamber” of Lebanon, with conflicts in Lebanon reverberating on the island. The influx of Lebanese refugees during the Lebanese Civil War significantly impacted Cyprus’s social and cultural fabric. Nicosia, the “last divided capital in the world,” mirrors the history of divided Beirut. The echoes of the Beirut port explosion on August 4, 2020, reached Cyprus, emphasizing the interconnectedness of these regions. The complex border situation in Cyprus, recognized as a border by the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and as occupied land by the Greek Cypriot, serves as an entry point.
With The Watchman, I wanted to encapsulate the intricate interplay between history, geopolitics, and individual experiences. I truly believe that storytelling transcends borders, both physical and thematic, creating a narrative tapestry that resonates universally through the soul of Cyprus and, by extension, echoes Lebanon’s tumultuous history.
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