The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureCinemaMovie reviews

Kuma

Kuma | Movie review
25 June 2013
Eden Williams
Avatar
Eden Williams
25 June 2013

Kuma provides a wonderfully moving insight into the lives of two Turkish women as they journey through life upholding the necessary values expected of every woman in the society they are confined to. It is these traditional, familial and household values that build the foundation for their seemingly heart-warming relationship. The story begins with Ayse (Nihal Koldas) marrying into Fatma’s (Begum Akkaya) family. The two women share a family, a home, a husband and their high regard for a woman’s role in this world. However, with love and esteem for one another, betrayal follows close behind. 

For a Western audience it is, of course, eye-opening to witness how the concepts of marriage and love are altered. Even more revealing is the role that the women play, having more control over the decisions of marriage than can possibly be anticipated, with a darkness and sinister approach. 

Ayse marries Fatma’s son, but it is not for love. When the family return to their hometown with Ayse in tow, it becomes apparent that she has been chosen by cancer sufferer Fatma to protect and care for the children if her illness worsens. She shows such adoration and esteem for Ayse as her newly adopted daughter; their relationship is touching but questionable. 

The acting is among some of the most effortlessly brilliant onscreen at the moment. The scenes of loss and tragedy are performed with heart-wrenchingly cathartic expression – a refreshing exhibit of real human reactions to certain situations that are, at times, veiled in Western cinema. 

The storyline is extremely daring, leaving the audience buzzing with all the twists and turns of the events that unravel in front of them. It feels as though the film lasts for days, unhurried but without losing the audience’s interest. Any confusion in the plot as it unfolds merely adds to the mystery and draws the audience deeper into the lives of these women who regard their roles as wives and mothers with the highest importance. 

Eden Williams

Kuma is released nationwide on 16th August 2013.

Watch the trailer for Kuma here:

Related Itemsreview

More in Movie reviews

Imperial Blue

★★★★★
Guy Lambert
Read More

MLK/FBI

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

Sing Me a Song

★★★★★
Abbie Grundy
Read More

A Night of Horror: Nightmare Radio

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

Wonder Woman 1984

★★★★★
Jake Cudsi
Read More

Come Away

★★★★★
Sylvia Unerman
Read More

Murder Me, Monster

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

David Byrne’s American Utopia

★★★★★
Rosamund Kelby
Read More

Dreamland

★★★★★
Guy Lambert
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap
  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Outside the Wire
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • You Me at Six – Suckapunch
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • A Livestream with David Bedella at Crazy Coqs Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Undercover at Morpheus Show Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Blithe Spirit
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • WandaVision: Marvel’s charming sitcom proves an astounding success
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Sleaford Mods – Spare Ribs
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Away
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Imperial Blue
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • WandaVision: Marvel’s charming sitcom proves an astounding success
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Undercover at Morpheus Show Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Ten short literary collections to get you back into reading
    Literature
  • Mayor
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Xavier Rudd at KOKO | Live review
Lowry and the Painting of Modern Life at Tate Britain | Exhibition review