Review of Beynelmilel

Beynelmilel (2006)
10/10
The Internationale, ideal music for a military band
12 May 2007
Warning: Spoilers
What a wonderful movie, showing us many aspects of life in Eastern Turkey and the oppressing role of the army, in a very subtle,ironic way. One of the first scenes: A band of street musicians, are setting up their trade now forbidden by the army, in a truck, near the local graveyard in outer-Turkey. An army platoon, set on their trail, prepares to attack, rifles aimed at the back of the truck. Very slowly, the back flap is lifted and we see .... a young man, dressed up as a belly dancer and a band of musicians playing. Such ironic contrasts work through the whole movie: The band leader hears by coincidence the Internationale, thru the love of his daughter for a young die-hard communist and thinks it is THE music to be played for a military audience, not having a clue about it's origins. However, the real tone of the story is rather sad and moving: The hard life of the musicians, trying to make a living, the mother- and wife-less home of the band leader, who lost both in childbirth. And the abrupt end, which we cannot elaborate here, thanks to spoiler policy .... Every European and US-citizen should go see this movie, since it seems to give a realistic picture of Turkey even now. The army is still in power. I do hope this movie will have a wide distribution in Turkey proper. Will it?
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