Pehlivan focuses on a threeday wrestling competition an ancient tradition that dates back over a thousand years to the time of the Ottoman Empire originating in the games the soldiers would play to entertain themselves in between battles Maybe thats why theres more than a hint of homoeroticism in the way the wrestlers oil themselves up with grease making sure to cover every inch of their bodies so that their opponents will be unable to get a grip Pialats closeups emphasize the mens muscular bodies jammed together and sliding off one another posed in intimate twisted arrangements struggling desperately for a grip on each others bodies Arms are jammed down pants one of the only places theres some potential for a handhold and the whole thing is very suggestive and sensual a form of intimate male contact thats sanctioned as a show of strength and masculinity
