My Father and My Son

Sadık leaves his village on the Aegean coast to study journalism at Istanbul University, seeking a path beyond farming. This move introduces him to new ideas and begins to strain his relationship with his father, Hüseyin. The family’s expectations clash with Sadık’s ambitions and political leanings.

At university, Sadık becomes a militant in left-wing politics, embracing activism that shocks his father. Hüseyin disowns him, severing ties and turning away from his son’s choices. The rift marks a turning point that will haunt the family for years.

In the early hours of 12 September 1980, the country is under a military coup and curfew. Sadık’s pregnant wife goes into labor, and they cannot reach a hospital. They bring the baby into a park where the mother dies, but the child Deniz survives.

Because of his political activities, Sadık is arrested, tortured, and imprisoned for three years. The experience takes a heavy toll on his health and casts a long shadow over his later years. The personal cost of political involvement becomes a central burden for the family.

A few years after his release, Sadık learns that he will die from his illness. He faces the reality of his own mortality and the difficult choice of what to do with Deniz’s future. The prognosis forces him to confront his remaining time and priorities.

With limited options, Sadık brings Deniz back to the Aegean family farm to be cared for by his mother and father. Hüseyin remains estranged, not speaking to Sadık, which compounds the emotional weight of Deniz’s arrival. The farm becomes Deniz’s new world and the anchor of his life.

Deniz, absorbed in the magical world of comics, begins to explore his relatives—grandmother who drives a tractor and talks on a short-wave radio, an aunt with bracelets from wrist to shoulder, and a naive uncle. These characters introduce him to a tangible sense of family history and culture.

Sadık confronts his past, including his first love who is now married with two children, prompting reflection on lost opportunities and the fragility of life. He also wonders about old friends and whether those ties can withstand time and illness.

Sadık’s sickness intensifies, draining his energy and threatening Deniz’s stability. The escalating illness frames the final chapter of Sadık’s life as the family braces for inevitable loss.

Sadık passes away, leaving Deniz in the care of his parents. The death ends Sadık’s struggle and forces the family to shoulder Deniz’s upbringing with renewed resolve. The film closes on Deniz learning to live with his father’s legacy.

Deniz begins to grow up on the farm under his parents’ guardianship, coming to terms with his father’s loss and the complicated family history. He discovers a world of storytelling through comics and the farm’s rhythms.

The surviving family members navigate their shared past while Deniz forms his own sense of belonging. The story ends with a quiet promise of reconciliation and continuity, grounded in the farm and Deniz’s future.