Kurtulus

This film is inspired by true events.

Salvation

They're back!!

Thank God.

Welcome back.

Brother, we all made it back safe.

Praise God, brother.

Thank God.

- Welcome back. - Thanks.

- You fought well, Yilmaz. - Thanks.

Siet, welcome back.

Welcome back.

Serkan, come here.

What's up?

Dad's here.

Peace be upon you.

And upon you.

I've told you before, Siet.

Haji and his family are coming back. You need to get off their land.

Siet, don't wait until the last minute.

Let's not cause trouble.

Peace be upon you.

Why'd you come to our village so early?

I came to see Siet.

Didn't they tell you we were searching for terrorists in the mountains?

They did. That's why I came.

Why didn't you take the usual road?

It's a shortcut.

Khalil, don't come to our village when our men aren't here.

I didn't come here to fight, Masoud.

Aren't you ashamed?

Masoud.

Can't you sleep again?

No. Go back to sleep.

Today is the 25th of the Hazaran calendar. (Translator's note: The Hazaran are one of the tribes involved in the Bigle massacre.)

It's the anniversary of my grandfather Sheikh Kamel's death.

Like every year, we're remembering him today.

With the story of the Hazaran's rise under Sheikh Kamel.

Many years ago.

We Hazaran of Upper Pingan Village

lived peacefully alongside the Bezari of Lower Pingan Village.

Over time, the Bezari went into business.

Then they turned to usury and bought up our grazing lands,

leaving the Hazaran landless.

That's when the peace between us fell apart.

The Hazaran became poor.

We grew poorer while the Bezari grew richer.

The Hazaran, who had so many sheikhs and scholars,

were forced to work as servants.

And became the Bazaris' pack mules.

But my grandfather, Sheikh Kamel, couldn't stand it.

So he put an end to it with one order.

Anyone who works like a servant for the Bazaris isn't one of us.

When the terrorism started, what did the great government say?

Either stay and guard your villages,

stand alongside our soldiers,

and fight the traitors and terrorists,

or abandon your villages and leave.

The Bazaris fled without even looking back.

They abandoned their fertile land.

Sheikh Kamel said:

The Hazarans aren't cowards.

We stayed and guarded the village.

We fought alongside the soldiers.

We even lost martyrs along the way.

And our merciful God rewarded us.

What did we do? First, we dug wells, then brought the water down to the plain.

On this abandoned land,

we planted farms with walnut trees and cotton bushes.

With God's blessing, we got rich.

The Hazarans prospered.

Praise be to God.

So what?

The Bazaris are coming back and taking our properties back.

And we're just sitting here watching.

- What did you say, Yilmaz? - I'm sorry, Sheikh, but

Aren't they coming back to steal God's reward from us?

Come on, Yilmaz.

How many Bazaris are we supposed to be afraid of?

Is land all we have?

We've got shops, houses, and properties in the city, too.

But more importantly, we've got our honor.

My grandfather commanded me in a dream:

Preserve our honor, my son.

Don't let the Hazarans fight those dishonorable Bazaris over a piece of land.

You're right, Sheikh.

You're a wise man. Your family's full of wisdom and wise men.

But farmers make up half this village.

This piece of land is what puts food on our table.

If we lose this land,

are we supposed to eat rocks?

He's right.

Let me speak.

Yilmaz, don't be disrespectful.

Don't take this the wrong way, Sheikh, but is this really justice?

We fought the terrorists for years and lost martyrs.

Now that the war's over, the Bazaris are coming back.

Well said, Sit.

But they have the deeds to the land. What do you suggest we do?

Are we going to take them to state court?

What proof are you talking about?

The deed to that land is our blood, our very lives.

Our martyrs are buried there. That's our proof.

We brought water there.

Land that used to be worthless is valuable now.

Now that the land's valuable, they've all come crawling back.

- You're right. - That's right.

Quiet. Hush!

Let me say my piece.

This isn't some street brawl.

This is a house of worship.

If you want to fight, go to the coffeehouse. Get out of here.

But if you want to stay, you need to show some respect.

What was that?

- What was that sound? - What happened?

What's going on?

Maybe the terrorists attacked Deh Sofla?

Huh?

Sait.

Sait.

- Welcome, Sheikh. - Come down.

Come on.

The gendarmerie was just here.

They want to take you and Yilmaz to the station.

I told the commander to let you stay. I'll be responsible for you.

Haji's house in Deh Sofla was blown up.

Or rather, the house you blew up.

You remember Haji, don't you?

Listen, man.

Look at me.

Don't bite off more than you can chew.

I know damn well who put these ideas in your head.

I'll talk to him, too.

I know you couldn't have come up with this on your own.

Why not?

Don't we have minds of our own, Sheikh?

- Do you think we're sheep? - Fatemeh, go inside.

Our people's land is being taken away piece by piece.

Our children used to eat three meals a day. Now they get one.

Fatemeh, listen to your husband. Go inside.

So we're supposed to sit around like sheep?

If we don't do something, they'll take control of us again.

Isn't that right, Masoud? Say something.

Fatemeh, go inside.

I said go inside.

Why did our brave men die as martyrs?

Just so those shameless profiteers could come and steal everything?

I swear to God.

- Come in, Gülsüm. Welcome. - Thanks.

- There isn't much time left, is there? - No, not much time.

- We have the test tomorrow. - God bless you.

- You're okay, right? - I'm fine, I'm fine, but...

We've got other problems, too.

I hope it's nothing serious.

Honestly, it's not.

Masoud isn't well.

I know he can't sleep, right?

I wish it were just insomnia. He's completely lost control now.

Why? What happened?

He locks us in the house. He locks the doors and windows so the kids and I can't even go outside.

Why?

He says it's so we won't run away.

Where would you run to?

The Lower Village.

Why would you run to the Lower Village?

He says it's so we won't go to Khalil.

For God's sake.

Where does he get these ideas?

He was always jealous, but now it's become something else.

What kind of jealousy is that?

I'll talk to him.

Sheikh, talk to him.

Please talk to him.

Don't worry.

Sheikh, isn't all this because of you?

How is it because of us?

Everything started up again when Khalil and his family came back.

Because my family used to work for Khalil, you all treated us like dirt.

You didn't want me to be part of the family. This is all because of that.

Are you still bringing up those old issues, Golsom?

No, but still...

You used to talk about me behind my back.

You said a servant was useless for anything.

- You said, 'You want to marry Khalil's leftovers?' - God forbid.

You put all this nonsense in Masoud's head.

Hey! Look over here.

Hey, girl.

Who are you?

Which village are you from?

Lower Pingan.

- What are you doing here? - I'm herding sheep. Can't you see?

Isn't there grass anywhere else? Is the feed here free?

Take your animals and herd them somewhere else.

Get moving.

Where are you from, girl?

Hey! Look at me.

Hey.

Whose daughters are you?

- Who's your father? - Khalil's daughters.

If I see you here again, I'll break your legs.