Engaging Movie Review: Yol
Résumé: Five Turkish prisoners on furlough reunite with their families. In a repressive country bound by archaic customs, this fleeting freedom only leads to tragedy…
Review: Yilmaz Güney always aimed to create a politically charged cinema, while balancing the “spectacle” aspect of the seventh art, along with a commitment to artistic creation. In the 70s, he became a thorn in the side of the military dictatorship and was arrested multiple times. It was from prison that he wrote the script for Yol and remotely directed its filming, providing his assistant, Şerif Gören, with instructions for shooting and staging. In exile in Switzerland, Yilmaz Güney was able to oversee the editing. The five furloughed prisoners depicted in the film could be seen as the filmmaker’s cellmates, and their struggles illustrate the difficulty of being free in a society subjected to oppressive social and political control. The system of partial incarceration and semi-open prisons, far from being a compromise for judicial leniency, only further highlights the challenges of reintegration and the suffering of prisoners in a hostile society. Yusuf forgets his papers and is detained by the police, who hold him in custody. Mevlüt reunites with his fiancée and talks about the future, but two ominous chaperones monitor them throughout the day. Mehmet wants to rescue his wife and two children from his in-laws, who blame him for the death of his brother-in-law in a robbery. Omer returns to his Kurdish village, subjected to arbitrariness and repression. As for Seyit, he visits his wife, convicted of adultery, who lives secluded in a remote mountain village.
Yilmaz Güney is highly critical of Turkish society and vehemently denounces the patriarchal power, the inferior status imposed on women, intolerance towards minorities, and the police state enforced by military personnel who are unfamiliar with the concepts of human rights and public freedoms. The editing skillfully alternates between the journeys of the five men, with Mehmet and Seyit’s furloughs being more prominently featured in the narrative. A politically charged visual poem, Yol impresses with the rigor of its construction, whether showcasing the urban setting in a neorealist style or the eerie aspect of snow-covered mountains, where even nature proves hostile to men’s progress. Two sequences stand out in particular. In the first, a married couple makes love in a train restroom, only to be confronted by other passengers with disproportionate anger. In the second, an exhausted and humiliated woman struggles to keep up with her husband and son, before finding release in a death that seemed the best outcome for her. Incisive and militant, without seeking efficiency at all costs, Yol is, along with “The Herd” (1978), the best film by its creator. The jury of Giorgio Strehler awarded it the Palme d’Or, tied with Costa-Gavras’ “Missing.” Yilmaz Güney then directed “The Wall,” about children’s prisons in Turkey, before passing away in Paris in 1984.
FAQs
- What is the main theme of the film Yol?
- Why is Yilmaz Güney critical of Turkish society?
- What sets Yol apart from other films by Yilmaz Güney?
- How did Yilmaz Güney contribute to the film’s creation while in prison?
- What awards did Yol receive?
- What visual elements make Yol stand out?
- How does Yol address the theme of freedom?
- What impact did Yilmaz Güney’s personal experiences have on Yol?
- How does Yol reflect the social and political landscape of Turkey?
- What legacy did Yilmaz Güney leave in the world of filmmaking?
The main theme of Yol revolves around the struggles of five Turkish prisoners on furlough as they face the challenges of freedom in a repressive society.
Yilmaz Güney critiques Turkish society for its patriarchal power dynamics, treatment of women, intolerance towards minorities, and the oppressive nature of the state’s control.
Yol is considered one of the best films by Yilmaz Güney due to its politically charged narrative, visual inventiveness, and rigorous construction that delves into the complexities of societal issues.
Yilmaz Güney wrote the script for Yol while in prison and provided remote guidance to his assistant for directing the film. He also oversaw the editing process while in exile.
Yol was awarded the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, sharing the honor with Costa-Gavras’ “Missing.”
Yol impresses with its visually striking portrayal of urban landscapes in a neorealist style and the ominous beauty of snow-covered mountains, reflecting the hostility of the environment.
Yol explores the challenges of freedom for the five protagonists as they navigate a society steeped in repression and control, highlighting the complexities of individual agency.
Yilmaz Güney’s own experiences with imprisonment and political activism likely influenced the themes and perspectives portrayed in Yol, adding a layer of authenticity to the narrative.
Yol serves as a critique of the social and political structures in Turkey, shedding light on issues such as patriarchy, gender inequality, intolerance, and state oppression.
Yilmaz Güney’s impactful contributions to politically charged cinema, his unique storytelling style, and his critical examination of societal norms have left a lasting legacy in the world of filmmaking.