Bliss

Turkish director Abdullah Oguz shows the big culture clash in his country through this tale about honor killing. After a young woman is raped in her village, she refuses to name the culprit which forces her family that includes the village elder to cast her out of the village. She's sent far away to Istanbul with her soldier cousin who has to commit the honor killing. The cousin fails to fulfill his duty but they find refuge and understanding from a university professor that help them to sort their dilemmas. Oguz shows the big gap between the ancient and the modern that exists in Turkey and how it affects the people. While the villagers have outdated moral codes, they have a close ties with each other where the city people are lonely, even in the closest form of a relationship, the marriage. Stunning locations and cinematography along with a potent story make this film worthwhile despite its shortcomings. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.