My Father and My Son

The acting was perfect in this movie from the kid (Deniz) to Çetin Tekindor (Hüseyin Aga). All player did their job in a great performance. Also the places the film shot was great. My grandfather lives in a similar village, and I used to go to there in summers in my early ages. I went to back again to my childhood when I was watching the movie. It reflects the life style of those places in a very good manner and reality. No detail was skipped. Also the director mixed the drama and joy in the movie very well so that you can laugh suddenly when you pity for something you see in the movie. This was, I think, a great directing success for the new generation director, Çagan Irmak. So, this a "must to see" film I think, especially for the Turkish viewers (It includes so much domestic features). But international viewers can also get a real good taste of it, because main themes (such as family bonds, love of son) in the movie are humane things.

The movie starts on the days of military government, which started Sep.12th, 1980, and lasted 3 years (Effects of this action against democracy lasted more than 15 years). A young socialist newspaper writer (Fikret Kuskan) loses his wife on birth of his only son on the very first day of the military action, because he can not find any help for delivery of the child. After 6 years past, the father was desperate to find any jobs on the papers, which are now supporters of the new order, and decides to return his father (Çetin Tekindor)'s home in a small village near Izmir: A house that he has left years ago fighting his father's wills to make him a person that his father would like him to be.

I can not even summarize the rest of the movie, since one should see the movie himself/herself to understand the encounters of two strangers, father and son. One should notice the mother (Humeyra)'s role on the relationship (or non-relationship) of these two different men, and the grandson (Ege Tanman).

If you have a Mediterrenean blood, Greek, Italian, whatever, you will find many things in this movie. You don't have to be Turk to understand the emotional rivers in this movie. It really touches hearts of the Turkish people.

This movie came out in Turkey late 2005, without much advertising. It's a small family drama, set largely in western rural turkey in 1987. Within a couple of weeks, the film became a smash hit solely through word-of-mouth. Since then, it has received every national award and has become the third-biggest grossing film of the country's history by mid-March (it could go even higher, considering it's still playing in theaters after several months). It is indeed a good movie, but i doubt it'll reach the same kind of wide audiences outside the country. It's well-written, well-acted and well-shot; but some of the jokes, and especially the local accent that adds the movie a lot of its charm will be lost on international audiences i'm afraid. Similarly, the film doesn't give much information about the political events that unfold in the background. I think one of the reasons the film did so well is that it reflects the atmosphere of the older Turkish films, from the industry's heyday in the sixties. Its mixture of comedy and tearjerker melodrama catches a very subtle balance. Granted, the melodrama bits are rather manipulative, but effective nonetheless. I heard that a tissue company did a campaign where they distributed tissues to the ingoing audiences, don't know if it's true though. My one (small) problem with the film is a few anachronistic details, but i guess they wouldn't even be noticed by someone who wasn't around then and there. If you come across this movie at a local festival or some other way (not very likely, but anyway), give it a shot. It's worth watching just to see the little kid in the leading role.

A simple story becomes a sad and poignant movie about ordinary people.. Every person I know who had the chance to watch this wonderful movie have cried -especially during the second half.. I applause everyone involved in the production of this magnificent piece of work.. Really brilliant work, presenting some top-notch performances (esp by Humeyra and Cetin Tekindor) and a clever collection of spectacular moments. No special effects, no superhuman strengths no fantastic landscapes.. Just human and the ordinary feelings. I felt some rush to call my mom and dad just after the movie to be sure that they are OK and to make them know once again that I really care about them. This movie makes you think deeper on values that make us human and also etches itself irreversibly to your memory by touching the deepest possible regions of your soul.. Highly recommended; a must-see! Do not forget your tissue papers because you probably will not be able to keep your tears from flowing...

Thanks Cagan Irmak, and continue to blow our minds away..

This is a very good movie without any doubt! During the recent years there have been made some movies that clarifying Turkey's 70s - 80s. As a person who has been experienced those years, the film became a very big sentimental burden for me. Those were the tough days for many. It is a very touchy story..

However, it is not that what makes this film good one.. You don't need to know all Turkish history to feel the movie.. You don't need to be Turkish either.. This is emotion.. This is life.. The Mediterrenean way of life.. I guess in a Mediterrenean perspective the movie would appeal to many. I myself watched a lot of Italian movies with similar scenario. The life from a 7-8 yo kid's eyes gather things in a three-generational dimension.... There are many scenes that are going to be remembered long.. The first encountering of the kid and grandfather is really touchy.. The blood is thicker than water.. This is what so called about a FAMILY..

By the way… for the international audience.. Deniz is name of Turkey's one of the most famous leftish youth leaders in 70:s with a great charismatic personality. So, that's why the name of the kid is not at all a coincidence..