The Reeds

Subdued reed farmer in lawless Anatolia revolts silently in master Agacikoglu's exquisitely contemplative and repetitively suspenseful drama.

The village of Bolvadin sits by a mountain near a lake in the remote central Turkey. Here, the silent Ali and his wife try to make ends meet while keeping their profound love alive. The odds are against them. They face the harsh nature and an exploitative system where local potentates profit from the laborers, and corruption is the rule rather than the exception. When an upstart boss with especially dirty methods tries to recruit people, Ali refuses, while his wife accepts, tired of meager circumstances. The Reeds is a beautiful film about reeds and boats - and the importance of keeping one's inner rebel alive and standing up for what matters most in life: self-respect and love.