.webp?cx=0.5&cy=0.5)
Bliss
Og˘uz, Abdullah
Turkey, 105’. Turkish with English subtitles. First Run Features, http://firstrunfeatures.com/bliss_educational.html. $24.95 individual, $395 institutional/education (available January 2010).
Set against the impressive backdrop of Turkey’s natural wonders, an ex-soldier/would-be executioner in an honor killing and his wrongly accused victim make a journey of self-discovery in which they confront the demons of their past. This unconventional road movie takes an unexpected turn when they meet an academic who is also looking for a second chance in life. Adapted from internationally acclaimed author and folk musician Zülfü Livaneli’s novel Bliss, the film is a tale about choosing between society’s harsh, traditional dictates and finding one’s own path.
You may also be interested in...

Memoir Paints World’s Biggest Game as Great Connector—Our Book Review
Tim Bascom transforms a lifetime of playing football across five continents into a meditation on belonging, arguing that the game’s great gift is not the goals but the wordless understanding it creates among people.
A Scholarly Look at Football in the Middle East—Our Book Review
This collection, edited by Abdullah Al-Arian, explores the early history and growing influence of football throughout the region.