Times and Winds (Bes Vakit)

Directors: Reha Erdem

Actors: Ozkan Ozen, Taner Birsel, Nihan Asli Elmas, Koksal Engur, Sevinc Erbulak, Selma Ergec, Elit Iscan, Ali Bey Kayali, Yigit Ozsener, Tilbe Saran.

Running Time: 112mins

Consumer Advice: Contains strong language

A small, poor village isolated by high mountains, facing the immense sea and flanked by olive yards.

The villagers are simple but diligent people who struggle to cope with life’s harsh nature. They earn their living, a harsh existence, out of the earth and with the few animals they have. Like the animals and trees around them, the villagers have the knowledge of their temporary existence, hence a sober resignation prevails. They live according to the rhythm of the earth, the air & water, the day & night and all the seasons.

Each day is divided into five parts by the sound of the call to prayer. Every day, human existence is experienced through these five time periods. Children are raised, by a practice they have experienced from their parents. They expose their love awkwardly and consider beating a favorable method of love. Fathers always prefer one of their sons and Mothers command their daughters ruthlessly. Children study in the small village school. Families show their gratitude to the young woman teacher by giving her presents, the bread they cook and the milk of their own sheep.

Ömer, Yakup and Yildiz are aged between childhood and youth. Ömer, the son of the imam, wishes for the death of his father. When he understands that wishful thinking does not have any concrete results, he begins to search for childish ways to kill his father. He shares his guilty thoughts with his friend Yakup. Yakup is in love with his young teacher. He hides his guilty feelings even from his best friend Ömer. When some day he sees his father spying on the young women, he dreams, like Ömer, of killing his father. Yildiz studies and has to manage the household works, these chores were imposed by her mother. Yildz tries to be a mother for her baby brother and learns with irritation about the secrets of the relationship between men and women.

Children oscillate between rage & guilt, and grow up slowly. Ömer, stuck between love and hate, cries desperately.