Kızılırmak

Kızılırmak is a 1946 black-and-white Turkish drama film directed by Muhsin Ertuğrul from a screenplay by the celebrated poet Nâzım Hikmet, with Fuat Rutkay as producer. Co-produced by Doğan Film and Halk Film, it brings a turbulent love story set in a nomadic Anatolian tribe to the screen.

Hatçe, the daughter of the tribal bey, finds solace from her stepmother Zehra's cruelty in the love of Selim, the shepherd. Their union is permitted only on a harsh condition: Selim must feed his sheep on salt for three days and lead them across the river without letting them drink. Yet the schemes of Zehra and Şaban force Selim to renounce his love, and Hatçe is wed to another man. As the bridal procession crosses the Kızılırmak bridge, its collapse brings the story to a tragic end. The cast includes Cahide Sonku, Nevin Seval, İsmail Hakkı Dümbüllü, Muammer Karaca, Mümtaz Ener and Şaziye Moral.