Dir. Dervis Zaim; 2022
Mustafa Serttas, known colloquially as “Tavuri” (meaning “devil”), is an infamous fraudster who has spent most of his life in prison. Tavuri would say it was a poverty-stricken childhood that led him to a life of wrongdoing. Yet, far from being sorry for his crimes, Tavuri is an unrepentant man, unabashedly stating, “So long as there’s suckers around, I’ll scam them.” Suffering with severe diabetes, Tavuri’s latest stint in jail comes to an end with a last chance to go straight and reconcile with his estranged daughter. But old habits die hard. In a fascinating work of what might be called “verité fiction,” reality and invention intertwine, as director Dervis Zaim follows his childhood friend for five years, from Cyprus to London and back again. Tavuri is a sometimes-funny, sometimes-poignant, always-absorbing journey on the rocky road to redemption. (JA)