Ho visto il sole

The link between war, development and poverty is unequivocally demonstrated in this Turkish movie about the long standing Kurdish insurgency in the country's eastern provinces. Most people just wish to get on with their lives and have no time for nationalisms or 'isms' of other sorts. Indeed, ask the transvestite character in the film, and it's clear most of us have many of our own problems without taking on the burdens of others onto our own shoulders.

Nonetheless, humans cannot be divorced from the realities around them. Hence, the individual who joins a political movement infused with the idealism of youth. Pitted against him is his brother who believes in the power and strength of the state to deliver services, e.g. education and healthcare. As these two fight, innocent farmers and shepherds who happen to live in villages in the battleground suffer.

To suffer means economic destruction and even death.

This is the story of one such family caught up in Turkey's Kurdish insurgency. Simultaneously, the movie reveals the conservative and male dominated nature of rural Turkish society.

It's a sad movie - prepared to shed tears. But 'I Saw the Sun' is a social statement which provides powerful insights for any student of Turkish society. The movie provides few answers but forces us to ask the right questions.

A must watch for anyone interested in Turkish society.

In Turkish with English subtitles.

I watched the movie yesterday and thought on it for a while. Let me share my humble opinion on some aspects of the movie. The story was crafted to make it as tragic as possible by putting problems of people who were forced to migrate in the focus and spicing it with social adaptation. While trying to point some problems like terror and the social pressure, the choices were too far from each other. If the story was focusing only on the migrating family, it could have been much better. The gay issue didn't fit the whole movie at all and it looks like a patch trying to gain sympathy. So, for the plot, it is over exaggerated tragedy. Acting is good, especially the main characters did a pretty good job. I am afraid, I can't be that positive for the directing and technical aspects. The fighting scene was very clumsy. Overall camera usage was pathetic. This movie is an Oscar candidate by now. I don't think it has the slightest chance. Although the movie is quite good in some aspects, it is far far away from being a classic or what so ever...

I lived in Turkey when Mahsun Kirmizigul was a folk(arabesk) singer then I moved away...

I'm a rock/hip hop woman, I never paid much attention to him; always thought his kind of music was "beneath me". How elitist, how inconsiderate of me!

I moved back to Turkey 2 months ago from US and I watched "Gunesi Gordum" today...

Mahsun Kirmizigul won my respect, my admiration today...

Gunesi Gordum is an amazing movie. Every scene in the movie, every actor is spot on. It touches extremely sensitive subjects in Turkey and comes out a winner.

This movie makes you cry for the terrorists' family AND for the soldier that died defending his country. A son is a son. That's what this movie shows you without politicizing it.

It makes you see the pain of the homophobic brother facing the transvestite brother.

It makes you see how "privileged" you are while a big part of your country / world is just trying to HOLD ON....

Thank you Mahsun for this movie. I really hope you get the recognition you deserve.

"Günesi Gördüm" unfolded like a tapestry of emotions, weaving a tale of family, love, and the complexities of human connection. The acting was a standout, with performances that resonated with authenticity and depth. The film editing seamlessly navigated through timelines, creating a poignant narrative that unfolded with grace. The musical score, though not overpowering, complemented the storytelling, enhancing the emotional impact of pivotal scenes. The film's strength lay in its ability to capture the essence of Turkish culture and the intricacies of familial bonds. The cinematography beautifully depicted the landscapes of Istanbul, providing a visual feast for the audience. With a rating of 7/10, "Günesi Gördüm" is a testament to the power of storytelling, offering a heartfelt and nuanced exploration of the human experience.

There is no war in a city here, it's during unrest let's call it. If you are not familiar with the situation Turkey and the Kurds are having, you want to read up on that. It's not necessary to understand the movie/follow the story. It might be interesting to have this as a backdrop though to refer back to.

It's about a family in troubled times as you can imagine. One that has not only to face outside danger, but also has quite some turmoil inside the family. Feelings get hurt, but there is also violence especially with a thinking that may seem very backwards to a lot of people. Sometimes that is used for comedy (when it comes to technology or the "wonders" they achieve) but this is mostly a drama, with high stakes for every one involved. It's not easy to chew on and there are quite a few bumps along the road, still this has the right ingredients, it just needed a bit of a better direction and less confusion in parts