Viaggio della speranza

How many Turkish movies have you seen? This was my first. I found this movie a little better than "fair." The story was a bit depressing but the cinematography was very good. There was some beautiful night-time photography.

It's the story of a Kurdish man and his wife making a trip, with one of their seven children, to Switzerland in order to find a better life. Hardships abound, thanks to unscrupulous "sympathizers" and they wind up having to travel on foot with other people over the long journey. That journey includes walking up and over snowy mountains.

A tough but inspiring story, which is what it was meant to me.

Tragically heart wrenching drama about a Turkish couple and son who cross the Swiss Alps illegally in search of a new life. Realistic. Moving. Sad. Unforgettable. Won the 1990 Academy Award for the Best Foreign Language Film.

"Journey of Hope" tells of a poor Turkish family and their odyssey of hope which spirals downward into despair as they travel to Switzerland in search of prosperity. Although this Oscar winning film is fairly well crafted, it is lacking in substance and has many implausibilities. Much of the film's 1.7 hour run time is get on the bus, get off the bus, get on the boat, get off the boat, get in the van, get out of the van, etc.; time which could have been better spent or left out completely. The story has a predictable conclusion, especially for those who have an awareness of the common crime of trafficking in illegal immigrants. A worthwhile and reasonably entertaining watch but over-rated.

This film takes you on one family's impossible journey, and makes you feel every step of their odyssey. Beautifully acted and photographed, heartbreakingly real. Its last line, with its wistful hope, is one of the more powerful in memory.

"Journey of Hope" (Turkish, 1991): A strong, clear, direct, honest, and sad film, without a hint of schmaltz. Join a contemporary Kurd family trying to leave Turkey for the perceived "paradise" of Switzerland (based on a postcard they get from a family member). Their journey is not spectacular, it is common, and in its commonness, we see its power. It is easy to forget you are watching actors that are not actually caught in these circumstances. "Journey of Hope" was given the Academy Award for Best Foreign film – and it was deserved. You'll probably have some things to discuss with your kids after-wards, if you watch it together…and I think you should.