Director
Fatih Akin
Leading Actors/Actresses
Birol Ünel, Sibel Kekilli
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Güven Kiraç
Genre
Drama, Romance
Language
German, Turkish
Awards
n/a
Date of Release
2004
Producer
Andreas Schreitmüller, Stefan Schubert, Ralph Schwingel, Jeanette Würl
Setting and Context
Present day 2004 Turkey, Germany
Narrator and Point of View
POV is that of Cahit and Sibel
Tone and Mood
Serious, Dramatic, Violent
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist is Cahit. Antagonist is Sibel
Major Conflict
Sibel demands that Cahit marry her or she will kill herself in order that she can break free from her family.
Climax
Cahit kills one of Sibel's lovers after being married. He's sent to prison. Sibel is beaten, stabbed and nearly killed. After Cahit's release from prison he finds Sibel. They share two nights together and Sibel returns to her new life as a wife and mother and Cahit begins to head toward's his childhood home.
Foreshadowing
Cahit's running over parked bicylces foreshadows his car crash early in the film.
Understatement
It is understated to Sibel that Cahit was married prior to taking her hand in marriage.
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
N/A
Allusions
The film is an allusion to the result of selfishness in marriage, and that marriage is not just a relationship, but a covenant and one's actions within this relationship has profound impact upon their spouse.
Paradox
Cahit marries Sibel in order to save her from killing herself; paradoxically, he begins to desire her and when she won't allow them to be together it begins to kill him internally.
Parallelism
Cahit has a dream of his car crash that parallels his earlier car crash at the beginning of the film.
