Talat Bulut Movies

Three people meet under unlikely circumstances and change each other's lives in this Turkish drama from director Abdullah Oguz. When an unmarried teenage girl is believed by her family to have given up her virginity, she is ordered to be killed out of shame. But before her relative is able to complete the task, the two encounter a college professor in the midst of an existential crisis. With each of their futures held in the balance, the trio embarks on a journey together. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi

The life of a modern ecological saint is presented in this Turkish bio-pic. The tale begins just after the War of Independence in the mountainous town of Manisa, western Turkey. The Christ-like Ahmet wanders to town, plants a sprig, and waters it. Later he frees a mountain stream to help the drought-stricken community below. Eventually Ahmet, wearing only a pair of shorts, and sporting a wild beard, moves into the mountains where he lives for close to 40 years before becoming overwhelmed by the encroachment of civilization. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Sehmus comes from a poor village in Anatolia and has traveled to Istanbul to do some construction work under the leadership of a fellow villager who made the move earlier. However, his real dream is to become a singer, following in the footsteps of someone else from his village of Urfa who hit the big time. In this melodrama, the men working on big buildings share accommodations (a shack on the building site) and camaraderie, while attempting to help Sehmus fulfill his big dream. Alas, when he and his foreman buddy bet all their chips on a rigged talent contest, the consequences are tragic for all concerned. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

In this well-photographed drama from director Serif Goren, a young Turkish widow (Hulya Kocyigit) lives near the Greek border and goes to work in the rice fields after her husband is murdered. She tries to make a living for herself and her young son, ignoring the male workers who obviously lust after her in spite of the fact she is newly widowed. When a former suitor returns after he is released from prison, her life becomes even more complicated. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

In an uneven but visually evocative drama, Turkish director Serif Goren captures the story of Muruvvet (Hulya Kocyigit), a midwife who is traveling from the city of Ankara to work at a medical center in a remote town. The season is winter, and when her bus is trapped by accumulating snow, she is forced to find shelter with a local family. In the morning, she tries to leave again but it is hopeless -- the snow has become too deep. Muruvvet decides to spend the winter in the village, partly because of the impossible roads and partly because she has become attracted to Sehmuz (Tarik Akan), a man hunted by the police for killing the murderer of his wife and children. Muruvvet and Sehmuz are aware that the police may catch up with him one day -- and so their relationship and decisions have an added stress that will have to eventually be resolved. For the rest of the film, events and plot twists are not as well scripted as in the first half, although the photography and acting is excellent throughout. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi