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“Ellbogen” (or “Elbow” in English) directed by Asli Özarslan, recently showed at the Coolidge Corner Theater in Cambridge, Mass. as part of a spotlight on women and German film series. Adapted from Fatima Aydemir’s novel, the film follows Hazal (Melia Kara), a young Turkish woman in Germany who struggles with societal and family expectations as she transitions into adulthood. Venturing out to a club on her 18th birthday, she finds herself in a life-altering situation.
The film embodies the angst and uncertainty of adolescence, showing Hazal’s fraught relationship with her mother, her friendships, and her first experiences with romantic relationships. All of this unfolds against the backdrop of German and Turkish racial dynamics, subtly hinting at the complex limitations she faces. Through small acts of rebellion, Hazal pushes against these boundaries in ways that feel both genuine and familiar to anyone who has experienced the turmoil of young adulthood.
While these scenes play out, the audience is also treated to interesting, complex shots involving mirrors, double vision, and other reflective surfaces. Some shots contain a jagged mixture of reflection and reality, focusing at once on both the background and foreground — while others focus solely on the foreground, forcing the audience’s attention on Hazal. This combination makes for a film that is visually interesting, albeit not highly stylized or extravagant.
The film is grounded in claustrophobic cinematography, alternating between shots that feel as if the audience is seeing the world from Hazal’s point of view — or, conversely, viewing Hazal herself. The lack of wide shots and minimal orientation reinforce Hazal’s feeling of confinement. Her emotions — her anger, fear, and joy —come through more acutely. Özarslan’s use of mirrors, double vision, and reflective surfaces creates an interesting visual tension while avoiding excess. They serve to emphasize Hazal’s experience without overwhelming the story.
Throughout “Ellbogen,” Hazal’s character becomes increasingly more nuanced. She can be ignorant and angry, then suddenly shy and joyous. During a post-screening Q&A, Özarslan discussed her choice to cast a non-professional actor in the role because of the importance of conveying slang and street language in the film. She felt that using an amateur actor would allow Hazal to develop authentically, and the film could capture the roughness of the book’s character through her acting. This decision lends the film an air of legitimacy and connection to the novel.
Hazal’s moods are underscored by a sparse musical score — fast-paced and pulsing during times of anxiety, and serene when she is at peace. However, for most of the film, ambient urban sounds dominate, grounding the narrative and keeping the audience closely connected to Hazal’s mood, perception, and sensory experiences. This attention to sound helps compensate for the lack of spatial context by centering her emotions instead.
The film also explores motifs of color and light. To mark pivotal moments, flashing yellow, orange, and red orbs move offscreen, which contributes to the film’s themes of growth and movement. These visual cues mirror Hazal’s own emotional journey.
Hazal feels like an outsider — not only in Germany, but also in Istanbul. The film subtly explores these themes of belonging, class, and discrimination when she is treated as a foreigner. Unable to secure work because of her accent and limited Turkish, Hazal’s struggle reflects a unique cultural and political duality, making the film more than a personal coming-of-age story. It is also a narrative about society, migration, history, and labor.
Hazal’s experience with racism, abuse, and sexism in both Turkey and Germany speak to larger sociopolitical issues and ultimately give weight to her journey, as the story is told through society’s gaze. This element further complicates her character; she is both a victim and a perpetrator.
However, one pivotal scene — the inciting incident that propels the story forward — falls flat. While the rest of the film is well-acted, this specific scene is emotionally shallow, lacking the gravity and severity that the rest of the film carries. Afterward, Hazal’s reactions feel somewhat underdeveloped. The scene itself is underbaked, and the dialogue sparse, leaving it overly dramatized and difficult for the audience to fully engage with.
Despite this misstep, “Ellbogen” is well-paced and definitively emotional. Audiences gradually discover Hazal’s naivety while simultaneously admiring her strength and tenacity. Her character feels real and complex, which allows the film to succeed. Paradoxically, the film’s cataclysmic incident reveals a new world for Hazal, one that forces her to confront a new vision of herself and her potential.
In the end, “Ellbogen” delivers a powerful, politically and culturally charged story of a young woman finding herself in the wake of a life-altering event. Hazal defies simple labels of good or bad, embodying the difficulties and dualities of adolescence. With a nuanced portrayal of her struggle to find direction amid the intersecting pressures of race, class, gender, and identity, the film crafts a resonant narrative of self-discovery that reflects the complexity of the world in which she lives.
