Ask ve Devrim (2011)

Afterthe revolution, let's rename
the place Istanbul People's University.
Yes comrade.
As you wish.
Glory to our Trailblazers...
...to those who Made History
Glory to the October Revolution.
Another 2 million with travel permits
are waiting in line to cross.
God damnit!
Germany's Chancellor, Helmut Kohl,
spoke of a historic moment...
...and said no one could erect walls
in the face of freedom.
- Not eggs again.
- There's pasta left overfrom last night if you want.
Intemational analysts are expecting
the freedom movement begun in the GDR...
I swear I'll grow wings in a month.
Forget the wings...
You cluck in yoursleep, you know.
- You mean I snore?
- No.
Your nostrils are kind of big, right?
It's the air escaping.
Eat up. It's good for your brain.
Eggs.
The workers of Kitlas
are symbol of resistance
Unity of workers
will defeat capital!
Unity of workers
will defeat capital!
Unity of workers
will defeat capital!
Eitherwe stand together
ornot at all!
Unity of workers
will defeat capital!
Eitherwe stand together
ornot at all!
Long live class solidarity!
Long live class solidarity!
Long live class solidarity!
Guys! Ourfriends from university
have come to support us.
A big thank you to them
on your behalf.
Brothers!
Brothers of honest hard work
of sweat and toil, of integrity!
I bring you greetings
from yourbrothers and sisters...
...whose hearts beat with yours!
From yourfuture grandchildren
and from all yourfriends!
They say, the hands that created
this world can also change it!
They can oppose this exploitation,
this injustice, this outdated system!
They can throttle the cheats,
the crooks...
...pthe sold-out traitors
and the filthy rich!
I'll come with you. It's late.
No need, thanks.
I'm fine on my own.
Comrade Kemal...
...you look so broody.
In the prison, it may be joyful to
hope fora mail to sing sad songs...
...and to stay awake till morning gaze
at the ceiling but it is also dangerous.
Do not look in the mirrorunless you have to,
forget about how aged you are...
forget about how aged you are
and the spring nights...
...and nevereat the last
bite of yourbread and...
Where are you going?
I didn't say the best part yet.
Good evening, it's Arif.
Can I talk to Leyla?
Leyla? It's Kemal.
No, I wondered if you'd got home.
That's why I'm calling.
Right, OK.
I was going to say...
Shall we go to the cinema
on Sunday?
OK, OK.
Well, OKthen,
sorry I disturbed you so late.
Good night.
- If it weren't forthe wind...
- Here, let's have one.
- You'll start at this rate.
- Fuck it.
- Abidin.
- Go on.
Go on, what's up?
It's Leyla's birthday on Sunday.
- What are you getting her?
- She's celebrating with herfamily.
Maybe she's celebrating
with her boyfriend.
- Leyla has a boyfriend?
- She's a pretty girl. Why not?
Hey, OK! Don't get all depressed.
- I was only kidding.
- So she doesn't have a boyfriend?
- If she did, we'd know about it.
- Has she neverhad one then?
What's it to you?
So what if she has or hasn't?
I don't know. I just wondered.
Let's go. I'm fucking freezing.
C'mon.
Hey, listen.
Get me a photo of Leyla, OK?
- Why?
- Just do as I say foronce!
Haven't seen you for days.
You're not doing exams,
not at rehearsals.
I've been busy.
I'll do make-up exams.
- Borrow my lecture notes if you want.
- OK, if I need them.
See you.
- How's things?
- Fine, thanks. You?
- Morning.
- Morning.
- Any problems come up?
- Not so far.
- Where are the others?
- In the canteen.
Leyla, do you have a second?
- What's up? You're never here mornings.
- I need a photo of you.
Abidin wants it. To send
abroad forthe party archives.
- Will this do?
- Sure.
- Morning.
- Hello, guys.
- Leyla, tea?
- Sure.
Leyla, we're petitioning the rector
overthe canteen price hikes.
Will you guys sign?
You didn't sign forthe guys arrested
in the Higher Education Board protest.
But we'll sign for you.
Yes, but this concerns all students.
You mean HEB only concerns us?
Leave off!
Hey, what are you doing?
You're talking to me?
Of course I'm talking to you!
If you hadn't hit the guys
it wouldn't have got so out of hand
They're all fascists.
If I hadn't hit them,
they'd have hit you
Anyway, didn't you see?
They were all guys. Animals!
So only guys can fight guys?
I didn't mean that.
What did you mean?
Leyla, as a woman,
you can't protect yourself?
Leyla, you misunderstand
- No, I don't.
- OK, comrades
Don't make it personal
Kemaljust watch yourstep
outside your own operating territory
Hello, Abi.
We're fine. Everything's on track, Abi
How are you?
We're quickly gaining ground
at the universities, Abi.
Progress with the unions
is a bit slow.
The boycott's still on.
There's a few problems of course.
Our youngsters are sound, Abi.
Yes, abi.
No, abi. We haven't been able
to bring out the magazine yet.
Ourmoney problems are same as ever.
I mean, there is none.
I'll send you a detailed report
What ever you say, abi.
Look at that headline.
Bastards.
What did you expect, comrade?
Praise from the bourgeois press?
Thanks, old boy
OK, guys. Shall we start?
The university committees
are going well.
We're in almost every faculty.
In the next few months we're planning
big protests against the hike in fees.
Good.
And to reach the wider masses
we've fast-tracked work on founding
a legitimate association
If the police don't close it down.
- Do you get to uni sometimes, Kemal?
- Yes, chief.
What happened to the guys detained in
the Higher Education Board protest?
It's been a week and
they're still inside, chief.
We have some problems
on the boycot in Kitlas.
- Keep touch with comrades.
- Ok chief.
- Anything else, guys?
- No, chief.
OK, good luck then.
Abidin, let's you and I take a walk.
- How about anothertea?
- I have to go.
- Are you going home?
- No.
What are you doing?
- Looking for money to pay the bill.
- It's OK. I'll do it.
Leyla, I'll take care of it.
OK.
Thanks.
See you.
Leyla!
Why the urgent meeting at this hour?
Pala summoned us.
- What's it about? You could've said.
- Patience! I'd hardly say on the phone.
Go on in.
Giy onlan.
Wearthose.
Are we having the meeting here?
You fail underground class, comrade.
You fail underground class, comrade.
They do the job.
Off Kemal!
- Is no one else coming?
- They'll be here in a bit.
Happy birthday, Comrade Leyla!
Happy birthday, Comrade Leyla!
Thanks, Abidin.
So this was
the urgent revolutionary task, huh?
I didn't do a thing, really.
It was Kemal's idea.
C'mon, blow out the candle.
You sit. I'll get the tea and plates.
- You sit. I'll get the tea and plates.
- Have some tea and cake, then go.
- Aren't you having any?
- I'll eat with Hikmet.
You see? Like breeds like.
That's forsure.
Poor lad having no parents.
- How's the Abi?
- Fine.
When's he coming back?
Now is not the time, irin.
If he came back today, he'd be
sentenced to death or at best, life.
As if when we get arrested
they come round with candy...
Don't say that. It's one thing for our Boss
man to get caught, anotherfor us.
- Hey, chief. Welcome!
- Thanks.
- Welcome!
- Thanks.
You get more good-looking by the day.
Of course my son's good-looking!
C'mon, Hikmet. Sit yourself down.
The fish are still hot.
So let's hear it, Comrade Hikmet.
How was the meeting?
Good, chief. Good.
But people are a bit scared.
Eitherwe stand together or not at all!
Guys, we're all in this struggle.
You're doing the wrong thing.
We should claim ourrights together.
We're all in this struggle, guys.
If we fight, we'll win.
If we fight, we'll win.
If we fight, we'll win.
- Ah, Hikmet, welcome!
- Thanks.
- Kemal, a friend from university.
- Welcome, lad.
Come and sit down.
So, what are you drinking?
- We'll have beer.
- OK. bo, two beers.
How's irin?
Fine. She says hello.
- Fine. She says hello.
- Not so bad.
How are things?
Umm, well... We're pretty much
on ourown out there.
We can't get the numbers
to set up the union.
Those bastards at the back
have been bought off by the owner.
It's just a matter of time
before the police move in.
Is there anything we can do?
The other day, we got togetherwith
the guys on the resistance committee.
We talked about
visiting factories in the area...
We talked about
visiting factories in the area...
...about speaking to workers there
who are sympathetic.
Well, the students coming that day
was a huge boost to morale.
We really need support
from our class comrades.
bo, what's this? Turn it off.
Orders from the Boss.
The customers want it.
- So you could lead the way with that.
- Sure.
- Hey, what do you think you're doing?
- He said what are you doing? Are you deaf?
Get back to yourtables! Sit!
Get back to yourtables!
Sit at yourtables!
What do you think you are?
Workers orthugs?
These guys are labouring for you.
C'mon, let's get out of here.
Before the coup we were waging war
with the bosses and the state.
Now it's the working class we're struggling with.
That's the real comedown.
You set up the union.
But how do you change these guys?
OK, good night then.
- Kemal, stay with us. It's late.
- No, I'll make the last train.
Up to you. OK, good night.
Hey, smart ass! Come here!
Erhan, grab the son of a bitch!
Run, run! bo, run!
Fucking bastard!
Fucking commie!
Fuck! Kemal... Kemal!
Are you OK, Kemal?
Which son of a bitch did this?
C'mon, Kemal. Here.
Who did it?
Kemal, take this off.
Was it the fascists, huh?
Three terrorists have been captured dead
in a clash with security forces...
A statement from the Govemor
of the Emergency Region said...
...that terrorists opened fire
at security forces on routine patrol...
...sparking a clash
which lasted all night.
- Welcome.
- Thanks.
How is he?
Is he OK?
He started running a fever
this morning.
They beat him up something bad.
Following the execution of Ceausescu
by revolutionary forces in Romania...
Give him his medication in two hours.
...the country's is now being run
by the National Salvation Front.
I'll be back before it's dark.
Kemal... C'mon, wake up
and get some food inside you.
Bastards.
You fucker!
Get in, get in!
Where are you running, huh?
Welcome,
- How are you? A bit better?
- Yes, fine.
- I brought you some honey.
- Thanks.
- Ljust made tea. Want some?
- Sure, comrade.
Ourguys have identified the bastards.
Touch a revolutionary
and you've got it coming.
Hey, that's beautiful.
It was Leyla's birthday.
We didn't have the money
to buy her a present.
So Abidin and I got thinking
about what we could do.
It was Abidin who drew it.
Then we got a cake as well.
It was a little birthday surprise
forher.
Why are you embarrassed, Comrade Kemal?
Can you have a revolution without love?
Have you everbeen in love?
It was 1977.
I was going to
the Bakrky People's House.
There was a girl called Ebru
in the folk dance group.
Ebru was just beautiful.
We'd just look at one another
in silence without saying a word.
We'd just look at one another
in silence without saying a word.
Besides, it was still early for love.
Every morning...
...we'd take ourfreshly made tea
to the window light ourcigarettes...
...and watch in silence
as the crowds hurried to work.
Before pouring the tea,
I'd put on a tape of Guantanamera.
Back then, revolutionaries idolized Che Guevara.
And they loved that song.
The first strong tea of the day,
the first cigarette, and Guantanamera.
Every morning was
like a well-worn ritual.
One day, the organization
decided to send us to Fascist occupied...
...areas to coverthe place in graffiti.
The idea was to knock theirmorale.
At the time, there was a street
nearthe People's House.
It was a no-go forrevolutionaries.
But I said I'd still go.
I asked the organization for guns.
They refused.
They said no guns fora graffitijob.
Anyway, I went off with two friends.
And I hitched an iron barto my waist.
I had a can of paint and brush
in one hand and set to work.
I looked up at one point.
Our lookout man was running.
Before we knew it, hordes of fascists
were laying into us...
...with anything they could find.
So I grabbed my iron bar and hit whoever I could.
But I was also running forit.
My face was a wreck, of course.
Anyway I dashed to the
People's House.
And there was Ebru
in a dance rehearsal.
Poorgirl saw me...
...and went white as a sheet.
She came right over, took off
the scarf round her neck...
...and started wiping away the blood.
...and started wiping away the blood.
I looked down at my shirt.
All the buttons had come off.
"Take it off," she said.
"I'll sew on some buttons. "
I was stunned. "I can't," I said.
"I'm embarrassed. I'll be naked. "
"I'll do it with the shirt on then," she said.
I said nothing. She went to find a needle,
thread and buttons, came back and set to work.
When she snapped...
...off the thread with herteeth
I felt the warmth of her breath.
I shivered.
My heart started pounding.
By the last two buttons
I said, "Thanks, that'll do. "
Anyway, I didn't sleep all night.
Every time I closed my eyes...
...I felt Ebru's warm breath on me
like a soft sea breeze.
Early next morning,
I opened up the People's House...
...poured the tea, put on Guantanamera
and began to wait.
An hourwent by,
two, three, five hours. No Ebru.
She didn't come that day.
Northe next.
Aweek went by. Still no Ebru.
She had a friend called Fikriye.
I asked herwhy Ebru wasn't coming.
Local goings-on had scared herfamily
so they sent herto an aunt in skdar.
It was like
the blood drained out of me.
Ebru had walked off with
all the love I had inside.
Wherever I looked
I started seeing Ebru.
I thought about herall the time.
She was the only thing on my mind.
From that day on
I started having dreams about Ebru.
In every dream,
she had a different face.
Afterthat, I couldn't even remember
which face was the real Ebru.
I'd fallen in love
with an illusion, young lad.
The illusion
behind the white net curtain.
So there you go, comrade.
As a poet say If you come together,
it's romance...
...if you don't, it's love.
We never got to come together.
So I guess it was love.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- How are you?
- I am fine.
- Come in.
- No I won't.
- Ljust popped in that check you out.
- I am better.
- Come in five minutes. I prepared a breakfast
- I have meeting with irin Abla, I have to go.
- Do you need anything?
- No.
Ok see you.
Leyla.
- Thank you very much.
- Why?
I dont know,
you came and looked afterme.
See you.
- Is this Brother Yusuf?
- Yes.
Mam and dad of Hikmet.
When the party sent me and yusuf here, father of
Hikmet was the first workerwe organized politically.
Later, he became a brave
leader of the workers.
The best of us passed away the first
At that time, hikmet was just 10.
Did you look after him?
We looked after each other, let's say.
After Yusuf was sent into prison, that child
became a powerforme to stand up to life.
When will Brother Yusuf
come out of the jail?
So much time later...
You beat guys up, ambush guys.
Who do you think you are?
Bandits?
Guys are after a living here.
So what are we after?
We work like slaves.
No insurance, no union.
- Shut it!
- Sure...
...so the Bosses can talk.
Take the son of a bitch away!
Bastards!
Where the hell are you taking me?
- Where the hell are you taking me?
- Get your head down!
Get your goddamn head down!
Show yourfucking face!
I will.
Just get yourhead down!
Look, my friend. They say
there's no counterterrorism.
They talk about something else.
And you're saying anotherthing.
This guy was detained on 6th January.
Today's the 14th.
Zeynel Abidin Karaaslan.
In Gebze. Around 11.00 on 6th January
he was picked up by a white Renault.
Where should we look for him now?
All right, OK.
- I'm getting out soon.
- Isn't it miles from yourhouse?
- I'm not going home tonight.
- Where are you going?
Leyla...
Where do I stand in your life?
How do you mean?
Well, what am I to you?
You're my friend.
You're my comrade, Kemal.
What else?
The dead died fighting!
They are buried in the sun!
We have no time to mourn them!
There is a raid on, a raid,
a raid on the sun!
We will conquerthe sun,
the conquest of the sun is near!
Revolutionary martyrs are immortal!
Revolutionary martyrs are immortal!
Comrade Kemal, Abidin's belongings.
From the counterterrorism guys.
I decided to give them to you
ratherthan his family.
- Thanks.
- You're welcome.
My condolences again.
The killerstate will answerforthis!
The killerstate will answerforthis!
The killerstate will answerforthis!
The killerstate will answerforthis!
Revolutionary martyrs are immortal!
Revolutionary martyrs are immortal!
Revolutionary martyrs are immortal!
Hikmet's inside.
They threw Abidin
from the fifth floorof police HQ.
If we forget sometimes,
they remind us.
"Don't forget where you live,"
they say.
Being killed forno reason like that
makes my blood boil, comrade.
They kill young kids just like that,
no questioning. Summary execution.
If we plan to do nothing to retaliate
except chant slogans, shame on us!
Shame on ourrevolutionary cause!
It really gets to me, you know?
We raised these kids, irin.
No grandmum I am fine.
It doesn't happening in our univesity.
The protests takes a place in other ones.
No I didn't call my father.
How can I know grandma,
it is not easy to call Germany from here.
Ok.
When you talk with them,
you can say that I am fine.
You can say that everything
is ok as they know.
Yes I have money.
Don't ask formoney from them
Ok.
Ok ok grandma, my credit is running out.
Take care of yourself.
Open it.
C'mon, Kemal. Let's go out.
We'll get some fresh air.
C'mon.
Abidin and I always used to sit here.
He'd recite poetry out to sea.
He'd say,
"You wouldn't understand...
...but the sea does. "
- Good to have you back.
- Thanks.
- Good to have you back.
- Thanks.
Have a seat, guys.
Have a seat, guys.
Comrades...
After Zeynel Abidin's killing ourcentral
committee called an urgent meeting.
We're withdrawing some
personnel from legal territory.
Yourcommittee
will now carry on with Hikmet.
This is a new phase.
And you'll have new duties.
My dad went in '63.
To an area called Ruhr,
in Germany's industrial zone.
He worked in the mines first,
then he had my mum join him.
My sisterwas only two then.
I was born in Germany later.
When my mum started working
they found it hard with two kids.
So they sent me here
to my grandmother.
It was my grandmother
who brought me up.
Then I remember, they called
one day in juniorhigh school.
Then I remember, they called
one day in juniorhigh school.
But this time I didn't want to go.
They weren't that keen eitherthough.
This is just the start, "AB". If we keep quiet
about this killing, it'lljust carry on.
OK, AB, but why do we have to wait?
How long do we have to wait?
Things don't work here
as they seem from Europe.
OK, AB.
We'll sit tight till the meeting.
You torturer bitch.
This for Zeynel Abidin,
and all revolutionaries who murdered.
- Want some tea?
- Sure. Pour me one.
- Let's fix the electricity tomorrow.
- I'm hopeless at that.
OK, I'll figure something out.
Take the bag by my feet
and go back to the house.
This job's forthe three of you.
All the details you need
are in the newspaper.
Get it done by Friday.
Leave the teahouse
five minutes after I've gone.
So afterthe revolution
Castro gathers all his comrades.
He's going to give them all duties.
And he calls out to them all...
"Any economists among you?"
Silence all round.
So he hollers again...
"Any economists among you?"
Again, everyone looks around
in silence.
Comrade Che raises his hand.
"OK," he says. "I'm making you
head of the central bank. "
"From now on you're in charge
of the central bank. "
Che says OK.
He's confused though.
Then he runs into Castro
afterthe meeting. And Castro says...
"Comrade, you know about economics?
I thought you studied medicine. "
Che says, "To be honest, comrade,
I know nothing about economics. "
Che says, "To be honest, comrade,
I know nothing about economics. "
"Oh, you said 'economista' there.
And I thought you said 'comunista'!"
- You asleep?
- No.
- Selam aleykum.
- Aleykum selam. Welcome.
I wanted to look at wedding rings.
I'll be with you in a minute.
- Hands up!
- Get overthere!
Pack in those bracelets!
- C'mon, quick!
- OK,
I'll do it.
Shut the woman up.
Eyes front!
Shut up!
- Just shut up!
- Hit heron the head.
Eyes front!
Get out! Out!
- You think the guy died?
- Which guy?
I'll be leaving early tomorrow.
If anyone from the town asks,
say you're Selim's student.
- Who's Selim?
- Acomrade.
They're used to his students
coming and going.
OK.
- Want anothertea?
- Sure.
Good evening. It's Arif
Can I speak to Leyla?
OK, fine.
Thanks. Good night.
- Welcome!
- Thanks.
- How are you?
- Not bad.
The holiday's over, Comrade Kemal.
We're going back.
Watchman whistles... Someone flies
out of a house and swoops on me.
"I've killed my lover," he says.
"Hide me!"
I point to my pocket.
Rain's seeped in through the seams.
It smells of sesame from the simit
I ate that morning.
He vanishes into my pocket.
"What's yourname?"
I say, looking to my pocket. "Hidayet!"
"Hidayet. Why did you kill her?"
"I loved her, damn it. "
- "How did you love her, Hidayet?"
- "Like crazy!
The day dawned with her. "
"I sell sesame halva during the day. "
"And your pocket
smells sweet of simit. "
"The day dawned with her
and got dark with her. "
"Every conversation came back to her.
I thought of her every single second. "
"If someone said something,
I'd wonder how she'd answer. "
"If I bought something,
I'd wonder if she'd get it. "
"If I ate something, it wasn't good
unless she was with me. "
"If I saw something beautiful...
...she didn't see, I'd get no pleasure. "
"What was her name, Hidayet?"
Pakize.
"Well, Hidayet... What then?"
"Well then... Then it got dark. "
"And I'd run off
for a glass or two of wine. "
"The asshole barman laced it with hash
or something, because after one sip... "
"... Pakize was there before me. "
"As alive as can be.
As warm as can be. "
- "Seriously, Hidayet?"
- "Chance would be a fine thing. "
- "It was all in my dreams. "
- Wow, so you're some actor.
Let's tell Pala and have him
put you on the arts committee, huh?
- I got into it a bit at high school.
- Let's drink to it then.
- Why did you kill her, Kemal?
- I loved her, damn it.
- Why did you kill her, Kemal?
- I loved her, damn it.
- How did you love her, Kemal?
- Like crazy.
Would you really
have killed her, Kemal?
Why would you
have killed her, Kemal?
I really love her, that's why.
Who do you love, Kemal?
- Welcome, Kemal. How are you?
- Fine thanks, chief.
The bullet just grazed the jeweller's arm.
The guy's fitterthan he was before, don't worry.
Chief, is there a problem?
Go off to yourfriends.
We'll talk later.
You haven't been home all week.
Pala packed us off
to comrades in Kartal.
We've been staying
with irin the past two days.
- With Hikmet?
- Aha, with Hikmet.
Where are you going?
Where are you going?
Kemal.
- Have you made the tea?
- Aha.
- OK, I'll fry these, you wake Kemal.
- OK.
- Good morning.
- Morning.
You should eat before lighting up.
- Kemal, aren't you eating?
- I'm not hungry.
Guys, our organization's
founderand secretary general...
...Saffet Murat Alper, the 'AB'...
...came back to the country last week
and handed himself overto the police.
Did you know the Abi?
No, but I've heard a lot about him.
He's a school friend
of Yusuf and irin's.
Well, how could he do
something like that?
That's people for you.
What do we do now?
We'll see. There'll be a conference
in the next few days.
- It'll be discussed there.
- What else is there to be discussed?
The guy betrayed us.
We all know
the penalty for betrayal, don't we?
What is the penalty for betrayal?
Go on, what is it?
I'm going.
I have a few things to do.
Kemal...
- Why are you being like this?
- Like what?
Like this.
Aren't you going to talk about it?
What's going on?
Kemal...
Aren't you going to talk to me?
Aren't you going to talk to me?
As if the working class really cared.
The AB came back
and confessed to the state.
If you said his name,
no one would know it.
Betrayal is like a cancerous cell.
First it invades part of the body...
...then consumes the whole thing
like an infectious disease.
You have to stamp out
the cancerous cell.
You may lose an organ along the way
but you'll survive.
What are you trying to say?
First we have to restore
ourintegrity, irin.
Look, Vedat!
Forthe last six months, ourintegrity
has been the workers resisting in tents.
It's been theirwives and kids...
...the young revolutionaries
wasting away in torture houses.
Our integrity has nothing to do
with the AB who imagined for years...
...he was running the
organization from Europe.