Sürü (Die Herde)

To end the bloody feud between their families, Berivan (Melike Demirag) is married off to Şivan (Tarik Akan) by her brothers as a gesture of peace. However, the task of transporting a flock of sheep to Ankara plunges the family into ruin—a fate driven by a Turkish society rife with corruption and violence. Traditional ways of life are supplanted by exploitation rooted in individual greed and cunning. Yılmaz Güney wrote the screenplay while imprisoned, and his close associate Zeki Ökten directed the film: "Throughout my work, I have had to use indirect means to express my thoughts. The defining characteristic of these works is that they represent compromises. *Sürü* is, fundamentally, the story of the Kurdish people." The very existence of such a film represents a triumph that is both artistic and political.