MUBI

Turkish filmmaker Abdullah Oğuz (“In the Jail Now” & “Asmalı Konak: Hayat”) adapts the novel of the same title by Zülfü Livaneli (“Iron Earth, Copper Sky”, “Mist” & “Shahmaran”) into a powerful movie that won prizes at the 2008 Turkish Film Festival in Nuremberg, the 2008 Miami International Film Festival and the 2007 Prix Odyssee Human Rights Award from the European Council.

Teenaged village girl Meryem (Özgü Namal) is condemned to death by her own family when an unexplained incident leaves her dishonoured but recently returned cousin and childhood sweetheart Cemal (Murat Han) proves unwilling to perform the honour killing and the two escape with the assistance of passing professor Irfan (Talat Bulut).

The ephemeral Özgü Namal (“Polis” & “Beynelmilel”) puts in a powerfully nuanced performance as the young girl raped and them condemned to death by honour killing whilst Murat Han is uneasy as her star-crossed lover ordered to perform the act, and Talat Bulut curiously out of place as the Professor bored of his own storyline, who joins theirs.

The director creates a moving first act as the almost silent Namal is condemned by all around her in an act of barbarity still far too common in modern Turkey but when Bulunt insinuates himself into the plot things turn into a second rate remake of “Knife in the Water” and lead to an all too predictable denouement.

“People can be young and old, but not the wind!”