Propaganda

In the east of Turkey, 1948

To my father...

The train is coming.

Mehdi!

Stop, stop, stop, you haven't

sent your family to mine yet.

- My father's coming today.

- Well, let him come first then.

You know what, from now on I'm

the son of the Director of Customs.

- Son of what?

- The Director of Customs.

- What's that?

- Something like a cop.

He's in charge.

- Something big, eh?

- Very big.

- Bigger than...

the gendarmerie?

- Bigger.

- Than Yaar the Hood?

- Bigger. Sort of like the state.

On top of everything.

Mehdi, Azamet is your

fourth sister-in-law.

So our sister is the village teacher?

Congratulations.

Couldn't come to your wedding

but didn't forget your present.

Oh, how could you know

that I play the violin?

- ahane wrote me about it.

- Why go into all that trouble?

Unload it. Quick, quick.

Unload it now.

- And this is your present, Mehdi.

- What's his name?

It has no name.

You name him.

- Napoleon.

- My dear brother.

You yourself are a Napoleon, too.

- The train will arrive any time now!

- The train never arrives on time.

- What's this, Rahim?

- A weapon.

- You carry a weapon?

- It's a gift from your late father.

Let me take a look.

It seems great!

I'm firing it for you, Mehdi.

- Where s my oldest? Where's Adem?

- He was here a moment ago.

- Where's my oldest? Where's Filiz?

- She'll be here in a jiffy.

- Welcome Uncle Mehdi.

- Thank you.

- Where've you been, Filiz?

- I put the fire out, father.

- Welcome, father... Uncle Rahim.

- Where've you been, son?

I put the fire out, father.

- What do you see here, Mr. Rahim?

- A hole.

A hole...

- So what's this, Uncle Rahim?

- It's written, isn't it?

State Directorate

of Customs...

Hey, let me look.

Barbed wire.

So, what's the story?

Ankara, Ankara, Ankara oh so lovely

All without luck dream to see you

1867 reels of barbed wire have been

taken over...

...by the Directorate

of Customs of Hislihisar.

- Exactly 1867.

- Exactly, we've counted them.

- I'm signing.

- Sign it.

- Melek, bring the sugar.

- O.K.

- I'm so glad that you've come back.

- Thanks a lot.

There's no one here village you can

chat with. I almost went crazy...

...when you were away. After all

those years of friendship, 18 month...

- never seemed to end.

- Same here. We've been friends...

...since the years of the War of

Independence. I was wounded...

...and you extracted the bullet.

If it weren't for you...

- none of this would have come to be.

- Every medic would have done it.

I was bus y with my appointment.

Couldn't come to my father's funeral.

- Was he cross with me?

- Not cross, but sad because...

...he loved you so much. Even when

giving the gun, his eyes watered.

- May he rest in peace.

- So he gave it to you, ha?

That he did. And he said, "Rahim,

my son, when Mehdi was away...

in Ankara, you have done a lot for us.

My most precious treasure is...

...this gun. This" he said,

"I'm giving to you."

His eyes watered. He praised God's

Oneness, and Mohammed, His Prophet.

He fought for breath and was

gone. May he rest in peace.

Official, did we measure the border

correctly? I mean...

...some houses were le ft out.

- Measurements come from Ankara.

So. Well, the old stones also indicate

this border. The great big Capital,

they wouldn't err now, would they?

- What's up, Mehdi?

- I better take care of this border

business my self. They won't be able

to manage it.

Wait, I'll see you off.

- Mahmut, what is this?

- The border, Director.

What sort of a border is this? Have

you looked at the measurements?

I did. Border measurements are in line

with the position of the old stones.

- They are, eh?

- Yes.

- In line?

- I have measured three times.

Mahmut, there should be a mistake

somewhere. Just take a look.

- Well, Director, this is the border.

- How come?

The medic, the teacher

and the whore of the town are all

- le ft on the other side.

- We cannot change the position...

...for just a couple of houses, Director.

Oh god, now what!

- Close your eyes. Did you?

- Come out.

- Shall we open them?

- Don't.

Do.

How beautiful you are, Filiz.

It becomes you so. Come.

- What's wrong with her?

- They killed her husband

at Nazmiye's wedding. They shot him

eight times in front of our eyes.

He had just arrived from lzmir.

Since that day, she can't talk.

In front of her, you say?

I would also cry...

...if they had killed

my Adem.

You should've seen Filiz's wedding

gown. There were no such...

...wedding gowns in our day.

Am I talking to the wall, Mehdi?

- Don't you act in a hurry, eh?

- Why? She waited two years...

...for Adem to finish his military

service. Then 1,5 years for you.

- What else should we wait for?

- Just wait a little more.

Till the barbed wire and Customs

is ready. See what happens.

- I m cooking you some chickpeas.

- Put plenty of meat. Is Adem asleep?

- He is. Came late last night.

- adiye, watch your mathematics.

- Make Cemil study, too. Come on.

- Have a good day father.

- Thank you.

- We also have some rice dish.

- Good day, Mahmut, my man.

- And a good day to you.

What a good thing this border is.

Our entering and leaving...

...gained a significance.

- II will be more significant...

...when you realize its importance.

- Isn't it so? Mehdi, how are you?

- Thanks, fine. And yourself?

- I'm going to the circumcision...

of Ramazan's son. What about

Cemil's, now?

- Shall we do it this week?

- Hope so, if nothing comes up.

What can come up?

Or isn't a medic...

good enough for the circumcision,

now that you're a Director?

- Will you have the doctor cut it?

- It ain't a matter of a doctor cutting.

When the customs officially opens,

you should have a pass...

How can I tell you? Anything can

happen in this world.

Look, I've brought you some

Turkish delight. From this side.

- Go over, woman. Best wishes.

- Same to you.

When Customs starts to operate

this will be considered bribery.

- You don't mean it?

- Well, we better be care ful.

...and not without a leading light.

This is noone's colony.

We are a free country

full with heroes and no masters.

Where greed reigns and not

the heart, there is no progress.

There fore take your hand ladies,

make music and dance.

Shake your hips and

fling your hair.

We're calling Mr. Mehdi

to the platform.

My very esteemed district governor,

esteemed pre fect...

...worthy commanders. Dear

colleagues. Very dear citizens.

There's an important reason for

our gathering here today.

- He thinks he's the President.

- This reason is the establishment...

...of the Directorate of Customs. Here

we'll open the Directorate.

We will establish it and let it

prosper. What is customs?

Is it clear

or do I have to explain it?

- Do! Do!

- So I will.

Well, if there is Customs, we have to

preserve it. If we don't preserve it...

then in God's name who ever will?

O.K. What's Customs then?

Clearly something valuable,

since it has to be preserved.

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