THE LAW OF THE BORDER

THE LAW OF THE BORDER (HUDUTLARIN KANUNU), 1967

Turkey | Digibetacam, Black & White, 118’ | TurkishDirector: Lütfi Akad
Cast: Yılmaz Güney, Pervin Par, Muharrem Gürses

Akad’s desire to make a film about the problems of the country and his quest to capture a spare cinematic language intersect in this film. The Law of the Border, in which Akad and Yılmaz Güney crossed paths, criticizes exploitation by the agrarian elite, bigotry, and the corrupt system through the eyes of two villagers smuggling along the border. Banned three times in the past by the censorship board, the film is considered as one of the first examples of national cinema. Yılmaz Güney in the role of Hıdır won the Golden Orange for Best Actor in 1967. We will be viewing the restored copy that was screened in 2011 at Cannes in memory of Lütfi Akad.