[go: up one dir, main page]

    Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    EmmysSuperheroes GuideSan Diego Comic-ConSummer Watch GuideBest Of 2025 So FarDisability Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
Back
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • FAQ
IMDbPro
Hayat Var (2008)

Review by serkan_sez

Hayat Var

9/10

Portrait of a lost childhood.

Reha Erdem's "Korkuyorum Anne" is one of my favorite all time local films. Where that was brash and loud, "Hayat Var" is a slow placed and reflective piece reminiscent of Erdem previous effort "Bes Vakit".

Hayat is a pubescent girl who lives with her disconnected father and nagging grandfather in a modest home by a waterway. Her father is a "fisherman" who in fact, engages in small time smuggling and delivering prostitutes to ships on the Bosporus. Her mother who had left her father while he was doing military service, has now remarried. Hayat is lonely, her only real companion is a stuffed toy which plays "My only sunshine" at the push of a button. The irony is that Hayat despite her name ,seems to have missed out on life (ie. "hayat"). This is exemplified by the potent scene where she steals a pacifier, almost as if to re-live her infant days.

The story is told entirely from Hayat's perspective;the camera almost never leaves her, except to show us her father's escapades on his boat from a distance. The film is anchored by a wonderfully natural and confident performance by Elit Iscan. You feel sad for her most of the time and euphoric at the end when she breaks free and finally experiences happiness.

This is a simple yet very effective film. Highly recommended.
  • serkan_sez
  • Mar 10, 2010

More from this title

More to explore

Recently viewed

Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
Get the IMDb App
Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
Follow IMDb on social
Get the IMDb App
For Android and iOS
Get the IMDb App
  • Help
  • Site Index
  • IMDbPro
  • Box Office Mojo
  • License IMDb Data
  • Press Room
  • Advertising
  • Jobs
  • Conditions of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your Ads Privacy Choices
IMDb, an Amazon company

© 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.