Umut Dag’s prize-winning debut feature deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as A Separation for its subtle understanding of human nature and power of sacred traditions.
Ayse (Begu?m Akkaya) is a radiant, innocent village bride who leaves Anatolia for a new life in Vienna with young husband Hasan (Murathan Muslu).
Kuma is a riveting domestic drama
It is a fake marriage and in reality she will serve as the second wife, or kuma, of Hasan’s father Mustafa (Vedat Erincin) who fears for the family if his ailing first wife Fatima dies.
It is Fatima (Nihal Koldas) who runs the family and her children resent Ayse’s intrusion into their home in a family riven by secrets, lies and hypocrisy.
Kuma grows increasingly compelling as the complexity of the relationships become more apparent and we learn what is at stake for everyone.