Away from Home

A man leaving his homeland behind discovers he's not quite as free as he might have imagined in this warm-hearted drama from Turkey. After the death of his parents, Selim (Tolga Cevik), a 26-year-old man living in urban Istanbul, decides there's nothing tying him to his home anymore; without a wife or immediate family, Selim decides to apply for a visa to relocate to the United States. As Selim prepares for his big move, he decides to sell an olive grove in the country that has been owned by his family for generations. As Selim looks for a buyer, he gets a surprise visit from Nasuhi (Erol Keskin), his elderly uncle who ended up in a Russian prison camp during World War II and only now has made his way back to Turkey. Nasuhi wants to move to the family's olive farm, and has brought with him Olga (Anna Bielska), a young woman he met in Russia who, after a stint as a streetwalker, is looking for a simpler life. Selim isn't sure how to break the news to Nasuhi about the imminent sale of the farm, but when the three visit the property and Nasuhi starts fixing things up, he realizes he's going to have to find a way to let the old man down easy. Herkes Kendi Evinde was named Best Turkish Film at the 2001 Istanbul Film Festival.~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide