User reviews

We as the Turkish audience, were able to see the movie in our theaters by March 2000. The film is about what most of us ignore to see, or ignore to show in Turkey. It has a documentary aspect, the amateur actors and the real location shots increases the honesty and realism in the film.

Without sloganized dialogues or manipulatng plot it is a story of a journey through Turkey's wounds...

This is a very good movie with a simple story but lyrical and poetic cinematography. The scenes both in the cities and the countryside are beautiful. Some Turkish commentators who disliked the movie are simply blinded by their extreme nationalism and unwillingness to admit that Kurds were -and still are- oppressed in Turkey. Do they deny that the Kurdish language was forbidden in Turkey until just a few years ago? They should just read Amnesty International's description of Turkey's justice system and mistreatment of prisoners. Of course, they also deny that their ancestors committed Genocide against the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire in 1915. If Turkey wants to join the EU, the young generation must first join twenty-first century and stop behaving like their ancestors. They must face history and come to terms with it. They must stop imprisoning journalists and others for "insulting Turkishness" simply by speaking out. It would also be nice if they stopped assassinating journalists and priests. Enjoy this very worthwhile movie, then read more about this region's history and make up your own mind.

yesim ustaoglu's crafted a beautiful, touching film that deals with the heady (and taboo) subject of turkish oppression of the kurds. without resorting to sentimentality or polemic, she's created tender characters who are not mere stand-ins for a political idea. mehmet's gradual realization of the kurdish reality in his own country starts out with his own stint in the police station (when he gets taken for a kurd because of his dark looks) and ends with an actual journey to the eastern part of the country where he witnesses firsthand the devastation that the government's "undeclared" war has wrought on the largely kurdish peasant population. the film is beautifully shot and despite its heavy subject matter, it is a joy to watch the largely unprofessional cast against the bustling cityscape of istanbul, and the plain beauty of the barren hills of southeastern anatolia.

Basically film explaining sort of journey of a main character this movie. We are seeing, character getting changing persona and being another person some reasons I don't want give some spoilers soo"some reasons" But when you begin to look this movie as a photography of director point of view shoots are mesmerizing despite of cinematography actors and actress are not good enough for movie, yet you had feelings about theme and subject.

Rhetorically, this is a political movie so about view of that film indicate to us. I don't want to say everything but obviously,this film exaggerating something's not all of them. I'm against,that movie message portray to "Turkey is a terrible country profile" to us but something's are true for instance and about skin,hair colour discrimination was true . Overall perfective of my view deserve 5/10 because of not political soul it has because of it isn't good movie at that times.

This is mainly a political movie. In many scenes the effects of violence against the Kurdic population in Turkey. The story is very simple and not original. The protagonists do not really come to live. The political aims dominate the artistic ones. The film does contain very beautiful shots of Istanbul and South-East Turkey, though.

this is really an amazing movie that left me stunned for a long time. Ustaoglu has made a film of a pure essence that rely heavy on the visuals and grabs itself deeply in your heart. Like Silent Hill or Apocalyse Now it shows shots that burn into your brain and remain there long after. Beside this it delivers insights in the nature of human existence and his place in the universe. For Journey to the sun not the people in itself generate hate, exclusion and violence but all prevailing power structures that suck up a whole state like a sponge. Mehmet, one of the protagonists, goes on a journey that brings him to the root of humanity and the meaning of life. This movie demonstrates the importance of friendship and solidarity beyond and above all walls of hate and malice, and how paper thin is the line between unlimited humanity and border generating, infamous barbarity.

Yesim Ustaoglu movie that I watched (with the civilian police) in the cinema in 1999.

Although the use of amateur actors in the film sometimes creates problems in credibility, it can be ignored when the difficulty of making such a film in 1999 is taken into account.

The mubi copy of the film has been successfully refurbished from 35mm. I wish it was on sale on Itunes or Blu-Ray.

Ex-architect Yesim Ustaoglu was inspired to make this film after reading newspaper articles about Kurdish villages laid waste in southeastern Turkey. Given the level of censorship she faced, this lyrical, deceptively simple tale about love, loss, and identity (brilliantly shot by Kieslowski's old cameraman Jacek Petrycki) is all the more courageous. The story starts with two outsiders, Mehmet and Berzan, meeting in Istanbul, where both are eking out an existence in the face of police oppression. When Berzan is killed, Mehmet embarks on an epic journey across country to return his body to his home village. Ustaoglu is never didactic. Instead, she shows the bafflement and yearning of the young friends as they struggle to make sense of their predicament.

(1999) Journey to the Sun (In Turkish/ Kurdish with English subtitles) POLITICAL DRAMA

Written and directed by Yesim Ustaoglu centering on adult teenager, Berzan (Nazmi Kirik) from Istanbul bonding with someone he was supposed to be hating, Mehmet (Newroz Baz) after saving him from an angry mob. Berzan himself eventually gets himself caught up in the system upon after what was supposedly a harmless bus ride and was ater branded with the dreadful X similar to the Scarlet Letter.

At times the complicated situation serves nothing more but a backdrop to the not so nice looking areas that may or may not be exaggerated.

This is not the first and unfortunately not the last example of the success of a movie which simply attacks the Republic of Turkey.

The point that filmmakers ignored is, years ago when "Midnight Express" came out, it was easy to blame Turkey for being intolerant about human rights and undemocratic. But now - come on Turkey is a candidate member of European Union - EU acknowledged that Turkey's acceptance and applications of human rights issues are no less than any other member nation. A movie which serves peace shall not be based on lies.

It is as illegal to stop a bus and arrest a person without a reason, a warrant, necessary legal procedures in Turkey as it is in any other "western", "civilized" country. Also, present Turkey is not the same country as it was 30 years ago. I find a desperate and biased effort in this movie that tries to paint Turkey as a "dangerous" and "not such a good place to visit".

All I can say is that, this movie is simply propaganda, and a very poorly produced one.

Probably the best aspect of the movie is the cinematography. The scenes of Istanbul and south-eastern Turkey are magical. Another aspect that appealed to me is that although the film is obviously political, it does not present the situation in any direct way. The main characters are simple, apolitical characters whose lives become affected by the political events around them. By keeping the story focused on the immediate situation of the main characters, the background politics are all the more powerful because the director does not directly espouse or preach on behalf of any one point of view. It makes the viewer want to learn more about the complex nature of the Kurdish issue in Turkey.

i can't believe that so much people has liked this movie so much. it can't be real! i think the votes are just for the political messages of this film. please beware! that's one of the worst films directed in turkey in the last years. lighting... camera... acting... music (the cheapest "ethnic" solution)...

This movie is a must see. to see, how a bad film look like.

This a beautiful movie with a moral and humane view that rises above the political. It shows how human interactions can be deep and independent of the political. The picture reveals a sensitive vision expressed with mature skill. The construction and cinematography are superb.

Anyone interested in learning about human rights abuses will want to see this film. Journey to the Sun is the first film of 2001 to be nominated by the Political Film Society for best film exposé, best film on human rights, and best film on peace. I found it to be very moving, within the context of 2 Kurdish friends in Istanbul. This film is an antidote to the oversimplification of world history & politics in most Western films.

This is maybe the finest Turkish production until 2000. With a technical crew from 15 countries, native (Turkish) actors, and unusual number of shooting locations (for the Turkish movie), this film is among the ones who defined the new production standards in Turkish cinema, standards which can allow the Turkish movie to participate the serious world festivals without a shame or a feeling of "small, poor, but kinda interesting fella." Very good photography, authentic atmosphere, smart editing and good sound design, lovely music by Vlatko Stefanovski, and - sit back and relax, this is not a teenage comedy!

This is a political story about Kurdish youth coming to the big city in modern Turkey.The director also the writer of the story tries to tell us how heartless are the Turkish Police ,torturing and killing innocent young Kurds.It is not clear in the movie why the Police are after them and why they are running away from the Police.Are they terrorist,have they broken the law?We do not know.In the middle of this hide and seek story there is also a love story;an innocent love between our hero and a teenage girl,which evaporates long before the end. Unfortunately there are too many unanswered questions in this movie,forfeiting its purpose.

This movie starts in Istanbul and ends near Northern Iraq. In between, a young Turkish man traverses more than 1,000 KMs, first driving a stolen pickup truck, then riding on a minibus and a train. All along, he is dragging a wooden coffin holding the dead body of a friend.

The early setup in Istanbul develops along the protagonist's relations with a young woman and with a political refugee from the Kurdish southeast who later ends up in the coffin. A story of innocent love is presented between the hero and his girlfriend. As he ends up being tossed across the political and ethnic fault lines in the social mix of Istanbul, she is one of the very few people who choose to stand by him.

I found the story very realistic without being glib about the social life and the political issues it brings to the screen.

I teach Turkish language and culture at the undergraduate level here in Washington, mostly for Corporate and US government employees being posted to Turkey.

This is the most beautifully shot and elegant piece of Turkish cinema to date and an excellent introduction to Turkey.

I notice one or two right wing nationalists calling it propaganda comparing it to Midnight Express. That sentiment is by people who simply can't stand anything but a glowing picture of the government.

Highly recommended for anyone considering learning more about our culture.