The Herd (Sürü)

Sürü is a 1978 Turkish drama built from a script Yılmaz Güney wrote during his second stint behind bars. Güney also produced the picture and shared directing duties with Zeki Ökten, while Zülfü Livaneli composed the score. Performers in the film include Tuncel Kurtiz, Güler Ökten, Yaman Okay, Necmettin Çobanoğlu and Savaş Yurttaş.

The plot follows a Kurdish family from the southeast trying to move their flock of sheep to Ankara by rail, and along the way exposes a feud between relatives, the plight of a young bride forced into silence, and the weight of rigid customs bearing down on the household. The collapse brought on by migration from the countryside to the capital lingers throughout.

The picture took the top prize at the 1979 Locarno festival in Switzerland and also earned recognition at the Berlin festival. It has repeatedly appeared near the top of rankings of Turkey's most significant films compiled over the years.