Aile Hükümeti

What are you doing, Ido?

Spelling "Nazli". It's the name of my beloved.

Boys!

The teacher is coming. Put it back in your pants.

I haven't finished spelling it.

What's going on? Come here.

How many times do I have to tell you not to come here?

This place is dangerous, but here you are.

But we've never fallen.

And they wrote a "U" here.

It's not a "U", it's an "N".

The first letter in his beloved's name.

Go on, we're leaving. I'll take you to your homes.

How many times do I have to tell you? This place is dangerous.

Do you know what would happen if you fell from there?

You'd be gone.

I'll tell your mother about this.

Zeyno!

Yes, Dad?

I've given your hand in marriage to your cousin Kasim.

Idiot.

Idiot!

They're taking you away tomorrow.

Dad, he is like a brother to me.

For heaven's sake!

Look, I'm your father. You'll do as I say.

Go on. Go back home!

Roll the dice.

-It's not your turn to play. -It's not?

Good God!

Shit!

Let's see what your mothers think.

What have you done?

Not much. I'm just chilling. What have you done?

The boys were near the cliffs, again.

Damn it! Didn't I tell you not to go there?

Why did you do that? Your clothes are covered in dirt again!

Do I look like a washing machine to you?

Sister Kibar.

Seriously, that place is really dangerous. Please be careful.

Dangerous?

These kids don't care about danger, Teacher.

It took three delivery nurses to deliver this one.

See, he is still in one piece.

What's going on, sister?

These brats of yours went to the cliffs again.

-Oh? -Yes, I caught them.

-It's so dangerous. -Dangerous?

These kids don't care about danger.

Hey! Do I look like a washing machine to you?

Okay, that's enough.

There will be a meeting at the school today.

-Okay, I'll bring the second wife with me. -Sister…

-"Second wife" is politically incorrect. -So what?

-Say "partner". It's more polite. -Please.

Have a good day.

-Get in! -Go on! Get in there!

Come on!

Here we are.

You said it'd be closer to the village.

The village is just beyond that hill.

Is there a bridge? How am I supposed to get across?

-There is a bridge. -But it's collapsed.

That's true.

When they built the bridge, they said it would bring freedom, peace, and unity.

-But that didn't happen. -What are you on about?

How am I supposed to get across?

Go back to the town, find someone with a car and come back.

Come back?

-Are you messing with me? -I'm just kidding.

I'll deliver my cargo and then I'll take you to Teacher Salih.

Come on!

If you're going to try to educate us again, I don't want to.

What's the point of teaching us to read and write?

No, it's not about that. Take a seat and we'll begin.

-No, they're fine. -We barely have enough room here.

-I'm talking to the women, Brother Zulfo. -So?

Don't tire yourself out, Teacher. Really.

We're used to it. You'll get used to it too.

-When will we get our food supplies? -What are you doing here, Chief?

You don't have any kids. Who told you to come?

The classroom belongs to the state. It's not your property.

What is in the box, Teacher?

We've received some shoes for the kids, thanks to the city.

-What do the kids need shoes for? -What about us?

-These won't fit me. -They're for the kids. Just sit down!

At the beginning of the year, I called you all for a meeting,

but none of you came.

So I had to lie about the supplies. I'm sorry about that.

Don't apologize, Teacher. They're too dumb to get it.

There are some problems with the kids.

Idris, for example.

You always talk about their kids. Talk a little bit about mine too.

Your kid is smart.

He is just having trouble focusing.

How come?

-How many kids do you have? -How many kids do I have?

To keep a long story short, the kids are all lagging behind.

Well, do something about it then.

Mine probably takes after his mom. Her family isn't very bright.

Well, he is my uncle's son.

Right, and there is that issue.

Marriages within the same families are problematic. We need to talk about it.

It's really problematic. You can't beat them, can't curse at them!

They're relatives after all.

Does anyone have a shoehorn?

-There is the bell. -Get up.

-Let's go. -Where are you going?

Fits like a glove.

Well, Teacher, I…

Well, let me take these and…

give them to needy people in the village.

Go ahead, Chief.

I'd just take them back anyway.

-Chief? -Yes?

Where are you taking the shoes?

-They're for the kids! -Well…

You see, these shoes are designed for city streets.

It's so rocky here. It would be a shame to waste these shoes.

You know?

"The man said, 'Some love stories aren't meant to be finished.'"

"'It wasn't likely to happen, and it didn't,' replied the woman."

"It was a complete disappointment."

"And then they caught each other's eye, possibly for the last time."

OATH OF LOVE

-What's wrong? -So did they break up?

It's just a story, Zeynep.

What if our story ends like that?

Our story?

Don't we have a story?

Yes. Of course we have a story.

We've had a story since the day you came and took a book from me.

Zeynep?

OATH OF LOVE

-Have you finished it? -I have not.

Why? You seemed to enjoy it when I was reading it to you.

I believed it when you were reading it, but it isn't real.

Don't give me any more books, Teacher.

Why?

Because then I'll believe.

Then I'll believe that love exists and I'll start to dream.

Love does exist.

Not for me. There is only pain for me.

My dad has given me to Kasim.

My cousin.

But what about us?

There is no us.

Goodbye, Teacher Salih.

Goodbye.

Goodbye?

What do I do now?

FROM SALIH OZTURK TO THE MINISTRY OF FAMILY, ANKARA

"To the Republic of Turkey's Ministry of Family,

I've been working as a teacher in the village of Elaldi for three years."

"This is the 38th letter I have sent to the ministry."

"I have reported what happened in the village after the collapse

of the Freedom and Equality Bridge."

"The people here are so cut off from the outside world."

"Since the bridge's collapse,

the villagers have resorted to marrying their cousins."

"And these types of marriages cause problems,

not just for the families, but also for the kids."

"I would like the Ministry to do something about this."

"I kindly request that you take the necessary action."

"Teacher Salih Ozturk."

Hello, Chief.

Oh, hi. How can I help you?

Is this the food from the supply boxes?

No, it's not.

I swear to God, I gave them to the poor.

-Can you please send this letter ASAP? -Oh, another letter.

Of course.

Let me see if it smells nice.

Teacher, you know…

you keep writing these letters to your beloved…

but she never responds, does she?

Just accept it.

She doesn't love you back.

She does not.

ELALDI VILLAGE MARKET

It's not a girl, it's the state. And it dislikes us, not just me.

DOSTLAR CAFE

See, there's the teacher.

The one sitting over there, with a gloomy face.

Go!

-Salih Ozturk? -Yes, that's me.

I came from Ankara. I'm from the Ministry. We need to talk.

Welcome.

Please, have a seat.

Brother Hasan, we have a guest from Ankara. Get us some tea.

There is no tea.

-He said "Ankara". -Let's go before something bad happens.

You already know what it's about.

You wrote 37 letters.

-Yes, I did. -Bravo.

The Ministry of Family has been working on a project for years

to strengthen family values.

To increase the number of official marriages.

To solve domestic issues involving wives and children.

To stop consanguineous marriages.