Phases of Matter (2020)

This week for Mubi Monday we dip our toes into the realm of documentaries. Come along as we explore a Turkish hospital with Phases of Matter (2020).

Title: Phases of Matter

Director: Deniz Tortum

Released: January 25, 2020 (International Film Festival Rotterdam)

Runtime: 1 hour 11 minutes

Available to stream on: Kanopy and Mubi (have a month of Mubi on me!)

The director tells us right away that this film is important to him. In fact, Cerrahpaşa Hospital happens to be where he was born, where his father worked, and it is soon to be demolished.

What follows is an interesting journey through the hospital where we, the viewer, get to be a fly on the wall to all of the daily happenings in the hospital. Think of an episode of Scrubs without the majority of the humor sprinkled in. Yes, there are some moments that are lighter than others. However, the majority of Phases of Matter (2020) chooses to focus on what is taking place in all corners of the hospital.

Our peek behind the curtains starts with the camera squeezing its way through a crowd of medical personnel. Once we’ve worked our way to the front, we see that they are examining a partly mummified corpse. The camera doesn’t shy away, and we get a front row seat to exactly what the other professionals are seeing.

Not holding back and getting a raw feel for the hospital is a constant throughline here. We get to see into the breakroom and eavesdrop on conversations between doctors. Later we see doctors trying to determine what exactly they see on a patient’s scan. Through it all, the patients aren’t the focus though. That remains on Cerrahpaşa Hospital itself.

As we get further into the film, we are better able to see the signs of aging in the hospital. Everything from prevalent cracks in the walls to sagging window frames are on full display.

However, despite the structural issues, Cerrahpaşa Hospital still has stories to tell. Deniz Tortum does his best to give us an insight to the history held within the hospital walls.

While it might not be your “traditional” documentary, it is wildly fascinating to experience.

So, now it’s your turn. If you’ve seen Phases of Matter (2020), I want to hear what you thought.

Leave a comment below or reach out on social media with your thoughts on it!

As always, you can keep up with everything else I’ve been watching by following me over on Letterboxd.