The Girl with the Red Scarf

"Selvi Boylum Al Yazmalim" is further than a milestone for Turkish cinema history and it takes a place among the most impressive and best films in Turkish cinema history as well. The film leaves a dramatic effect and many questions behind after leaving the theater. The story is based on "Cengiz Aytmatov"s novel named in Turkish "Yol Arkadasi" and screened by the direction of "Atif Yilmaz". In my opinion, the film has an allegoric exposition in which love and exertion usually clash each other though, the power of the exertion becomes superior at the end, is analogous with the spirit of communism. Meanwhile, the book mentioned above, also won the 1963 Lenin award. Audience can find great number of details about the praising of the strive. Performance of the players also seem excellent in this movie. Woman character; Asya; Turkan Soray, stuck in the middle of two men. On the one side her love and father of child, Ilyas; Kadir Inanir, whereas on the other side is desperately but constantly struggling man Cemsit; Ahmet Mekik. She is uncertain about where to go, whom to choose; love or exertion ?

Shot on a shoestring in the countryside, SELVI BOYLUM AL YAZMALIM is an acknowledged classic of Turkish cinema. The plot is straightforward enough: village girl Asya (Turkan Sorak) falls in love with itinerant truck-driver Ilyas (Kadir Inanir). They get (unofficially) married and have a child, but Ilyas cannot adjust to life as a husband and seeks solace elsewhere. Asya leaves home for good, and is left alone on the road until Good Samaritan Cemsit (Ahmet Mekin) takes her in. After a whole, during which time Cemsit proves a good father to Asya's son Samet, the two get married. However Ilyas returns quite unexpectedly to the scene, forcing Asya to make a choice between past and present lives. Yilmaz's direction is straightforward; while allowing the plot to unfold at a cracking pace, he uses the shot/reverse strategy to powerful effect, especially at the end. The three central performances are just brilliant: Soray and Inanir were never better during their entire careers as the ill-fated couple, while Mekin has a wonderful talent for showing repressed emotion in a single expression. SELVI BOYLUM AL YAZMALIM has proved highly influential: the 2012 films ARAF and GOZETLEME KULESI both have sequences borrowed from the film.

This is a story about love and faith. The author discusses the two comparable concepts based on the beautiful novel of Aytmatov.

One can say many things about the technical handling of the film. But besides, the story flows slightly and fetches the viewers eyes till the end. Questions appear on mind; What love means? What does faith mean? Can love keep a couple together? Did you ever fall in love? OK, then answer this; did you ever TRY?!?... A woman with a baby stands between a one who loved too much, and another who did try his best.

Sometimes life do not allow you to choose. It forces you through its own stream.

Kadir Inanir and Turkan Soray starred in many films together. This film is one of their best few. Ahmet Mekin was shining, as well. You'll love the movie, if you are one of those who likes stories which sparkle questions on one's mind... And a little warning; watch out for your tears...

I love this movie. it is one of my favorite movies. I watch it at least once a year, I love the story, the actors, the film music, everything. And even it hurts myself, I love the moral of the story. In my eyes, this film should be internationally known an recognized.

"Elveda selvi boylum, elveda Asyam. Bitmemis türküm benim...." ( a quoute from the film)

Without doubt, one of the most beautiful Turkish movies ever. I have seen this movie on television a while ago and I dont remember the whole details clearly. But I definitely remember bursting into tears many times during the movie. A legendary movie indeed!