Original subtitles

Welcome.

Will you stay?

Yes, I will.

- Really? - Really.

Why did I come here?

Why did I come here?

Am I an exile?

Exile of whom?

Did others expel me?

I'll live a season of my life here.

Among these walls.

Or outside, in the snow.

Outside.

Among people.

Tomorrow is another day.

I don't want to remember...

where I came from, why I came.

Because, I know that it doesn't matter!

If I find some others here...

while I was looking for myself.

Why not?

Don't worry.

We'll clean up here with the children.

Fazil, go now. Call everybody.

After some careful calculation.

Teach reading and writing.

More than enough.

You get our blessings.

You just start, and the rest will follow.

Hello, teacher.

Ramazan, come here.

Good luck with the school.

Thank you.

Please sit.

Your radio is very good.

Praise be!

Heavy?

It gets a signal from Istanbul.

Why do you need that?

There are news.

Songs, too.

I understood, teacher.

And there are news and songs here.

I'll roll you a cigarette.

Get your pencils and notebooks, children.

Don't you have pencils and notebooks?

Since you don't have pencils and notebooks...

then let's go ouside, children.

Let's have our class outdoors.

Look, children...

this is the sun.

The sun...

heats our planet and revives plants and human beings.

Our planet rotates around the sun.

Day and night occur this way.

Summer, winter, spring and fall occur this way.

Look at this side now.

Stop!

You 'll be / represent / become the sun now.

You come here and be the earth.

You'll rotate around the sun.

Come on.

Where are you going?

To Palantis.

What is at Palantis?

They told me, but I didn't believe them.

What did they say?

They said that there would be a second wife.

I didn't believe it.

That's true then.

You've closed the school early, teacher.

- How? - I said, school.

I'm going down to town tomorrow. To get my winter storage.

I think you didn't drink what I made.

You think I put poison in it.

Whatever you say.

Second wife.

Your problem is second wife.

You are ashamed to say that.

I'll get married, Zazi.

We'll see it out this week.

Get ready.

Not sea, mountain.

Not death, life. No.

Both sea and mountain. Both death and life.

To write.

Were you studying, teacher?

Sorry.

I've interrupted you.

I came to the village today.

I wanted to see you.

I like foreigners.

Because I'm a foreginer too.

Aren't you from this village?

I live in this village.

I'm not from here originally.

One of my houses is in this village.

Sister, Zazi is in this village.

She is wife of the headman.

Did you see her?

The one who sees her, never forgets.

One of my wives...

and my children are in this village.

I seldom come here.

Well, where do you stay?

Everywhere.

Either Yuksekova or here...

or Findan...

or Oramar.

As I said before...

my roots are not here.

But you say that your home is here.

That's all?

Your home is here now.

You're from here, then.

Both. I'm from here...

and I'm a foreigner.

I'm a visitor here...

and there too.

Where is there?

There is...

let's say Oramar.

I'm from Oramar.

Because, one of my homes is there.

One wife is there.

Two of my four children are there.

Don't trouble yourself, teacher.

I came to say welcome.

Sorry.

If you need something...

remember to knock on our door.

I wish you could come and see how I live.

I wish you could come and see these people.

You're my sweetheart who tells me ...

that you know me, love me, will wait for me.

You ask me to take a photo.

Even you know that I've never used camera.

But this is a wise suggestion.

Wise, efficient, and modern.

I send the photo instead of explaining it poorly in words.

I say, here it is as you see.

I say I live here.

Instead of tellling about children, I take photos of them.

I send the photos of the feet ripped on the snow and rocks...

and the hands deformed by leprosy.

The photos of the bureaucrats' tables with brazen-faced...

and of the big, wild dogs...

of the mountains with bare and treeless...

of this cold, earthly paradise where desperate people live...

of villagers who warm with their breath when cowpat firing has ended.

Photography means civilization.

I'll send hundreds, thousands of photos using that modern device...

where I ( defecate ??? "�st�ne etmek" I'm not sure this is right) on the civilizations.

Using them as human frescoes, you'll collect them for an exhibition or a book.

I send them not only to you...

but also to all my acquaintances and all people at the center of civilization.

They decorate the walls with these beautiful photos...

and bless God for their current situation.

They give thanks to God.

They make a vow.

Long live photography!

Long live my love who makes me write.

Long live the civilization!

Drink it, teacher.

I boiled herb for you. It heals you.

I didn't sleep a wink the whole night.

What happened?

I don't know.

You woke up at midnight and went to the school.

At midnight?

The sun had already risen.

You mean the moon, teacher.

Full moon.

It's like that around here.

But...

But...

Children came, too.

I saw children.

Children...

Children...

are playing on the roof.

I said "sea" to people around me.

They understood nothing.

I drew the waves of the sea on the snow with a stick...

and a ship.

They didn't understand.

How can I describe the sea?

Then I saw Zazi.

Asya...

then...

dogs.

It's not as you said, teacher.

You had a bad dream.

Dogs barked, that's true.

Then I heard a rifle shot.

I went out to see what was going on.

Because I couldn't sleep last night.

And then?

Then, I saw you.

You asked me, "Where are the children?"

Then?

Then I said good night to you.

I asked if you were dreaming or sick.

You said that you would't let anything happen to the children.

You said wolves came down to village.

But the dogs frightened the wolves away.

I said the children are sleeping, don't worry.

Then I brought you and put you to sleep.

You instantly fell asleep.

It's obvious.

You had a fever.

Drink it.

You'll get better tomorrow.

Halit...

What if the dreamer is you?

It may be, teacher.

We all dream.

I may be the dreamer.

All right...

Who shot the rifle?

Rifle?

Yes.

Because this morning...

at the far end of the wall you leaned on at night...

on the snow...

I found this.

Did someone...

try to kill me?

I can not know, teacher.

I just know those empty cases.

Don't pay attention, teacher.

Who knows?

Maybe I was dreaming.

Take care of yourself.

You have weakened.

Fazil, ask your mother...

why she shouted while she was bringing fodder?

My mother wouldn't have understand, teacher.

She says she didn't shout.

- Don't tell anyone about that! - I won't, teacher.

Here you are, children.

These are your books...

and notebooks.

And these are your erasers and pencils.

Now...

you will write all the words you know on the first page without deleting.

- Did you understand? - No.

OK, I'll tell you once more.

All the words you know...

words...

for example; stove...

teacher, desk...

table, chair.

You'll write the words you know one under the other.

Explain it to the first-year pupils.

I give them crayons.

They will draw pictures, tell'em.

You'll write, they'll draw.

Come on, do your work.

- Did you write? - Yes.

Now, put your pencils on your desks.

Everyone, read what you wrote in turn.

I'll write here what you read.

OK? Come on.

Snow. Mom.

Flag. Mountain.

Wolf. Teacher.

Village. Dog.

Snow. Flag.

Mountain. Fodder.

Sledge. Doctor.

Wheat. To die.

Village. Pencil.

Rubber. Cloud.

Tree. Bread.

Branch. Cheese.

Yoghurt. Brother.

Dad.

Allah.

Rock. Sky.

Boiled wheat. Mountain.

Cowpat. Gendarme.

Partridge. Upland.

Tree. Soil.

Game. Yearling lamb.

Yoghurt.

You're likely hungry, teacher.

Thank you headman, you shouldn't have!

No man, no trouble at all.

Not in the least.

There is a need to help...

the foreigners, the poor,

and the single people.

Even single people?

Above all.

So, help then.

Except that herby cheese, rice, and yoghurt.

How can one endure without a wife at the end of nowhere?

Never mind headman, I'm used to it.

You come from the city.

You're young, what are you used to?

To loneliness.

Aren't you married?

I'm married.

So, how did you get used to loneliness?

I've learned the ropes, headman.

Don't pull my leg.

You need...

a woman here.

You need that.

From here...

or from the opposite village...

we can find someone?

How much does it cost?

4,5...

You are a goer..

You can't take the woman when you leave.

What about her after I have left?

Who?

The woman you'll sell to me.

Her father will sell her to someone else.

Nothing for me, thanks.

I don't want to buy anyone.

It's up to you.

I think of you.

Look, Halit came here yesterday.

Beware of Halit.

Don't believe what he says.

He is dangerous.

Don't believe a word he says.

Don't give him money if he asks.

What's up headman, did you wed your daughter?

You don't say, I'm getting married.

Give me a fine apparel fabric for my new wife.

Here you are, headman. We have fine apparel fabrics.

Silvery velvet, flowered velvet...

skirt with edging, cotton print, linen, karkashan.

How is this?

Does it befit my wife?

A sunny day.

You're inside.

They are outside.

Wives and children are outside.

Life...

is still, silent.

Silent life is outside.

Awaits...

as if not knowing what it awaits.

A dog barks...

water flows...

children play.

Men...

seemingly watching the world.

If you go outside...

a woman sees you and escapes.

Another one goes to the fountain.

A gendarmerie comes...

finds you at the end of nowhere.

He asks for someone.

You know him...

or don't.

A sunny day in which nothing happens.

Just an ordinary sunny day.

What's up, teacher?

Why is the gendarmerie looking for you, Halit?

It must be slander, teacher.

Did you...

kill a man?

It's slander, teacher.

I told that to the prosecutor.

You can send me to jail.

But Somehow I got out.

Because it's slander and you don't have any evidence.

Was there really not any evidence?

What evidence at the end of nowhere, teacher!

You're right Halit.

No evidence at the end of nowhere.

At the most, there'll be a witness.

Witness? What witness, teacher?

How do I know?

Rocks, grasses...

dogs...

sky, sun...

maybe a human.

There wasn't any human in my case.

You saved your skin with lack of evidence, then.

There was no evidence, teacher.

Evidence was a watch brought from Van.

A Persian craft.

How do they know it belongs to the dead?

Were the dead from Persia?

Yes. They were about to cross the border.

And you would have shown them the way.

We would have. We did and then left.

Next morning, they found their dead bodies.

Were you two?

Two Persians and we two.

You killed one and your friend killed the other one?

I don't kill anyone, teacher.

How did they release you, then?

I said to prosecutor:

"It'll be a shame...

if you send me to jail, the landlord will come and take me."

He didn't listen to me. He's right on his side.

Is there any place far from here?

Where could have expelled me?

He was a young prosecutor. I liked him.

He shouldn't be afraid of death.

He hadn't an itching palm. He sent me to jail.

After a little while the landlord heard that.

Come teacher, let's drink tea.

It's late Halit, another time.

He wasn't a foulmouthed man.

He was very good.

None of our business.

He hasn't argued with anyone for 3 years.

He never stole anything.

He never touched anyone's daughter.

He never touched anyone's herd.

Halit is a brave man.

He hasn't any land.

He just has a house.

He smuggles in these mountains.

When God was creating these mountains...

the mountains shed lots of tears.

They said; "Who will care for us?"

They said; "Why do you create us in such a deserted place?"

They said; "No one comes to these mountains!"

Allah pointed the mountains toward us.

And Allah said; "They are desperate."

"They are so desperate."

"They live here...

and they will take care of you."

The mountains waited...

The mountains cried.

Then, we settled on these mountains.

You'll speak up, my mother wants it so.

She also wants you to speak to my father.

She says; "Ask him..."

is Zazi sick?"

Ask him "Isn't she the breadwinner?"

"Isn't she the one who gave you two boys?"

"Isn't she young?"

"Isn't she beautiful?"

Ask him "is he in love with that girl?"

If he says yes, then that's a lie.

He didn't see her face, so he can't be in love with her.

My mother says you're a foreigner.

She wants you to speak up.

And once you've promised you must keep your word.

He should know that he's killing me that way.

Tell him like that.

My mom says he may listen to you.

She says you tell him even he doesn't understand.

She says...

a foreigner should say it moreover.

She says he may listen to it.

She says you tell him even he doesn't listen.

My mom asks that.

Will bride come from Palanis?

Tell him the bride will not come. Or I'll go there.

Things are different here.

A second wife along with Zazi.

Moral laws are like that here.

Who gets the woman's due, who seeks the orphan's right?

We're orphans, teacher.

Me and Zazi too. We didn't meet our father.

They killed him when Zazi was a baby.

I hardly remember my mother.

She looked like Zazi, then God took her.

Mother of our landlord breastfed Zazi. We grew up at the landlord's home.

The landlord wed Zazi with the headman.

I didn't want it. Thus, the headman doesn't like me.

One day I'll bring you to my house, teacher.

Actually, today is one day.

But, not that house.

To Oramar.

I'm like a parasite in this village.

I belong to Oramar.

I'll build two-story house at Oramar.

I'll move there with my children.

I'll watch the mountains with my binoculars.

I'll go there from time to time.

But I'll always go back to Oramar.

I'll buy a big radio.

I'll listen to Istanbul, Ankara, Baghdat and so far.

I'll shoot wolves.

There'll be no dog in front of my house.

I'll build that house, teacher.

As soon as I finish it, teacher, I'll call you and you'll come.

You'll come no matter how busy you're.

When you come, even my children will stay on the first floor.

You and I will stay upstairs.

I'll even pull up the ladder, teacher.

I'll go to Oramar one day, teacher.

Life is tough hereabouts.

You may write that when you return.

- Write what? - Aren't you a writer?

Everbody knows that you're a writer.

Everybody knows it, only I'm not sure.

I write poems.

- Really? - Yes.

- Very good. - I'll read one. - Read it, then.

Next hand...

a house at the next hand...

a wire on the doorhandle...

don't stay away, come near...

you both cry and laugh...

a red apple on the tree...

this is love, don't touch...

my statement is wrong, but...

you're both comer and goer.

I know the mountains.

I've never seen seas.

I've a blind eye, you're both questioner and responder.

Good, very good.

- Your prosody is a little out of order. - It hasn't got any prosody, teacher.

Then, I can leave and go to the headman.

I can't come here until snow melts, teacher.

Send someone and get your post.

- So long, teacher. - Thank you very much.

My love, I always think about you.

I think about you day and night.

I'm like a pain extending undotted, commaless.

I'm like loneliness and writing.

I write to you in such a mood.

You write me too.

Tell me about you, the people who live there, and their relations.

I haven't heard from you up to the present.

I'll go crazy. Are you alive, run on the rocks, or have you forgotten me?

Don't you want to write me? Don't you want me to write you?

Reply to me, please.

Reply to me, even if only one word.

I can stand it anymore. If I knew I could reach to you, I'd set out for you at once.

If they let me, I'll come and find you.

I'll share mountains, winter, loneliness, and children.

Please write me.

If I lost my way one day...

don't look for the old way.

Find a new way for yourself.

What does it mean, teacher?

Aladdin, if you get lost either in this forest...

or at the end of nowhere...

don't look for the way you came, try to find another way.

Then I'll be lost completely.

You won't be lost, Aladdin.

Because, you've got your sheep and dog nearby.

That's right, teacher.

But, if you got lost?

Look at this. It's called a generator. It works from here.

OK? We put gas into here.

I'll hold my wedding by means of this.

Teacher, come and look. I bought it for the wedding.

When you pull this rope, that's OK. It makes everywhere as daylight.

- We'll turn the wedding trick tomorrow. - It seems, it won't be a cheerful wedding.

I feel as if I have lived here for a long time.

Was I born here or elsewhere?

Will I be die here?

Nothing surprises me.

I'm almost numb and have forgotten everything.

Everything.

Past, cities...

Sorrows of people.

Headman said once that "the life is like that here".

Things are not as you know here, said Halit.

I forgot the desperation.

What's up, Aladdin?

Teacher, my brother is sick.

- What's wrong with him? - He has a fever; too much.

Let me give you medicine.

No need for medicine, teacher.

Give him an orange.

He has never eaten an orange.

This one came from Gezne.

Two babies are dead too. Let's go there?

Let's go, headman.

It'll be useful to look at the dead babies. Let's go!

Get your medicine.

But we don't know the disease, so what medicine should I take?

A few days ago my stomach hurt, you gave a drug, and I came around.

But babies are dying, headman.

They are dying one after the other.

There's one thing I can do. Let's inform the town.

A wire to ministry, too.

I write it, you take it. Medication and doctor will come.

Yes, you write it, Ramazan will take it.

We're brothers hereupon, headman. Keep that in your mind.

You're my wife, mother of my children.

I was like that, I'd like to be like that all the time.

Open the door, Zazi, open the door.

Open the door, Zazi, open the door.

You're afraid of it...

you're afraid of death.

You both have mercy and you're afraid of it.

Here, at the end of nowhere.

You're afraid of getting a swollen stomach, then swollen hands and feet, and of dying within 4, 5 days.

You're afraid of being buried in snow.

Did I come here for this?

For this? Did they expel me here knowing all this?

Come on, forget all this.

Now that I'm unable to get to sleep...

light your oil lamp, light the match.

To write babies, dying to be alive, and being dying babies.

Come on, write.

So many patients. Patients are dying.

Babies are sick, there's no doctor.

Medicine is the teacher.

Everybody is dying...

if you are a patient, then you die.

No doctor but death.

My brother is dead.

A Wolf dog ate him.

She doesn't wash the dress, there's a dress.

You have a headache. You may have a stomachache.

Raise your eyes, wash your hands, rambles.

Ahmet's brother is sick, there's no vaccine.

No doctor. No soap.

Contagious disease infects by hands.

Children and babies die. Contagious disease.

We come to school, no disease. Be vaccinated.

Where's the doctor?

What doctor, teacher?

Is there any doctor in town?

Is there any doctor in town?

No one will come at all.

Don't you know that?

- Did you send a wire? - Yes, I did.

- What about mail? - They grabbed my hand.

They said they'll do what's necessary. I've waited four days stuck in the khan.

I asked everyday. They said, "we've given it, you go."

I said, "I won't, without a reply."

Didn't they give medicine? Didn't they say, "we'll come"?

No one will come, teacher.

No one will come at all.

They know what you write, and they heard too.

But no one will come. They haven't got any medicine.

Didn't they say anything?

They asked you.

They asked what you told us.

They said you shouldn't...

send a telegram to the ministry.

They said you should ask for them.

Then you should have asked for them.

Why didn't you ask? Don't you have a tongue?

Why didn't you ask a doctor?

Why didn't you ask on behalf of your babies?

Come on children.

Our class is game today.

Let's go outdoors and make a snowman.

Is there any way out of this poverty?

There is only snow already.

Outdoors you see snow; inside you see children.

Whenever the roads are cleared, I'll go.

There's no land, no animal. Even if there were, there's no life.

I have a friend from military service, works in factory. I'll go to him.

Do you know the region, teacher?

Human landscapes or...

deserted landscapes.

Sound of silence...

suspended time.

Snow and poplar tree.

All have a sound.

I listen to them right now.

A spring that doesn't know how to arrive ...

Snow that doesn't know how to melt, I listen to all their voices.

Where is Halit?

I don't know where he is.

One morning he took the road.

He never says where he's going.

Did he say something for me?

He didn't at all.

Halit.

Where are you?

Teacher...

You don't think that I don't know killing is a sin.

Living is tough, by the way.

So is being an underling obeying orders.

I did what they told me.

Because, I grew up an orphan.

I've been in debt since I was born.

Write it down somewhere.

It can be useful later.

Teacher, the inspector has come.

- Welcome. - Thank you.

You can break up the school at the end of next week.

Sorry?

You can break up the school.

Snow melted, roads are clear. It's time for that.

I came to inform you.

All right.

What will I do when I break up?

You're free.

You're free when you break up.

I'll give a good report about you.

I won't be in the class tomorrow.

What I heard and what I talk to you, are enough for me.

That's not the issue.

I ask you what I will do.

Obligations that you detain are discharged.

You'll bear with a week.

After you deliver the school's key to headmen...

you can go wherever you want.

Allright.

I have no place to go.

There's no place to go.

You presumably will not stay here.

I've never thought that.

I've never thought that...

it will...

finish suddenly.

Everything has an end.

Of being an exile, of disease...

even of imprisonment.

Isn't that?

Yes.

The meal is ready. They await you.

My children...

I'm leaving.

My time is up.

I don't know if we will see each other again.

I taught you a lot when I was here.

You learned a lot.

For example:

You learned how the Earth rotates...

how planes fly...

how the ships float...

how human beings derive...

how the mountains formed...

how we eat, how we digest...

how we die.

You all learned these things. Did you?

But I just demand one thing.

Forget all you have learned.

Yes, Earth rotates.

But...

here, on top of this mountain...

it may be better not to come back.

I taught you life sciences.

But you'll learn real life...

here, in this mountain village...

then in your military service...

and in your imprisonments.

Remember that books don't always say the truth.

What's right for me isn't right for you.

What's true for me isn't true for you.

Forgive me what I taught you.

Because I come from a different place.

I'm leaving when the snow melts.

You are who live here.

You are...

You walk barefoot on the snow...

and then survive.

People, my children...

three-month-old baby can live...

without dying of unknown diseases.

Lepra, trachoma are not your destiny.

Nothing is your destiny.

That's all.

All I say...

is that all.

Come on, go right now. Class is dismissed.

I said class is dismissed, didn't you hear?

You passed the class. Dismiss!

Class is dismissed.

Ok then...

Let's have a class outdoors.

Let's go outdoors together.

One last time, let's feel the mountains.

All together.

Come on.

Translation by JaguaR @KG-2015