Naman Shrestha
Based on the book ‘Yolun Acik Olsun’ by Hakan Evrensel, ‘Godspeed’ (originally titled ‘Yolun Acik Olsun’) is a Turkish drama film directed by Mehmet Ada Öztekin. The narrative revolves around an ex-army captain, Captain Salih, who decides to set off for Dalyan with Ensign Kerim to crash the wedding of his friend’s beloved and stop her from marrying another man. However, Salih’s grief and traumatic experience from a combat tragedy in the field impair his excursion.
The flashback scenes of the battlefield and the long road trip involving the two protagonists keep the backdrops changing and interesting, making the viewers wonder where the film was shot. Moreover, the seemingly true-to-life narrative is made even more realistic by the impressive performances of the cast members. So, it is natural for you to question if the movie is inspired by true events or not. Well, we have all the information you need to get rid of these curiosities!
Is Godspeed Based on a True Story?
No, ‘Godspeed’ is not based on a true story. However, the director and writer, Mehmet Ada Öztekin, got heavily influenced by Hakan Evrensel’s ‘Yolun Acik Olsun’ and based the narrative of the film on the book. The Turkish movie deals with some real-life issues, with the major one being the trauma that many war veterans have to deal with. Thus, focusing on such a prevalent subject, Öztekin was able to bring life to the already realistic narrative.
When one serves in the military, especially for several years, they are bound to be exposed to several kinds of traumas. The book and movie do a great job of highlighting this issue through Captain Salih, who suffers from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). As a matter of fact, there have been a number of other movies and TV shows involving characters who show signs of trauma after being in the war and have a hard time dealing with life. One solid example is that of Frankie Dunlan in ‘Combat Shock.’
‘Combat Shock’ portrays the after-effects of the Vietnam War for many soldiers through the eyes of Frankie who suffers from severe PTSD. He also dwells on his traumatic past quite often and takes some questionable actions. The movie focuses heavily on the consequences of war on the fragile human psyche, much like the Turkish movie. So, PTSD is a concept that many of us have heard about and is very much real. However, this doesn’t change the fact that the storyline and characters in ‘Godspeed’ are not rooted in reality.
Godspeed Filming Locations
‘Godspeed’ was filmed in Turkey, specifically in the province of Muğla. Since the storyline is set in Turkey, it is no wonder why the production team utilized the features of the vast cityscape of the Middle East country for filming the movie. Officially known as the Republic of Turkey, the country is considered a regional power and a newly industrialized country with an emerging economy. The principal photography for the movie commenced in early July 2021. Now, allow us to fill you in on the details about the specific locations that feature in the film.
Ortaca, Turkey
For filming purposes, the production team set up camp across the town of Ortaca, located in the Muğla province in the Aegean region. The town was made into a separate district altogether in 1987. Lying midway between the towns of Dalaman and Daylan, it makes for an ideal filming site for a movie set in the same area. Ortaca literally means “the town in the middle,” which is seemingly due to its location in the middle of the surrounding plain.
Thanks to the rapid population growth, Ortaca is growing rather fast as a town as a whole too. Consequently, this makes the Muğla province grow as well. Over the years, the province has been frequented by many filmmakers for filming purposes and has featured in different kinds of filming projects. Some of the notable movies and TV shows that feature the province are ‘Miracle in Cell No. 7,’ ‘The Water Diviner,’ ‘The Ambassador’s Daughter,’ ‘Skyfall,’ and ‘Holiday.’
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