The Lamb (Kuzu)

Kuzu (The Lamb) is a 2014 Turkish-German drama written and directed by Kutluğ Ataman. Set in a village in eastern Anatolia, it follows Medine, a young mother in the village's poorest family, who longs to hold a modest feast for the circumcision of her five-year-old son Mert so that her household can claim some standing in the community. For the celebration she needs a lamb to roast, but she cannot scrape the money together, while her husband İsmail cares only about a singer who has come to town. Mert's older sister Vicdan, jealous of the attention he receives, convinces the boy that if no lamb is found, he himself will be slaughtered, sending the frightened child off in search of one. As the feast day approaches, Medine struggles against poverty and social pressure and is finally forced to seek help from an unexpected quarter. Nesrin Cavadzade stars, alongside Şerif Sezer, Taner Birsel and Necmettin Çobanoğlu. The film premiered in the Panorama section of the 64th Berlin International Film Festival, where it received a CICAE award, and went on to win Best Film at the Antalya Golden Orange festival.