A young woman of about 17 years old, named Meryem (Ozgu Namal), has been raped, and her village's customs call for her to be killed to restore honor and dignity to her family and village. The eldest son of the village leader, Cemal (Murat Han), is ordered to take Meryem to Istanbul and kill her, but at the last minute he cannot complete the task.
Cinematography
Aegean light becomes a character—beauty that haunts.
Acting
Özgü Namal's silence speaks louder than any dialogue.
Direction
Oğuz lets horror breathe in spaces between words.
Director
Abdullah Oğuz
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Based on Zülfü Livaneli's novel, the film sparked debate in Turkey about honor killings—still legal in reduced sentences until 2004, with hundreds occurring annually.
Director Abdullah Oğuz insisted on filming actual Aegean fishing villages rather than sets to capture authentic light and community tension.
TR
