What Is My Father and My Son About?
The premise of My Father and My Son in 272 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the turbulent aftermath of a 1980 military coup, a once‑idealistic left‑wing journalist finds himself drawn back to the rugged Aegean coast that shaped his childhood. The country is under curfew, the streets hum with uncertainty, and ordinary life is fractured by fear and repression. Against this backdrop, the protagonist, Sadık, carries the weight of personal loss and a body weakened by years of hardship, prompting a desperate quest to secure a stable home for his newborn son before his own time runs out.
Returning to the family’s remote farm, Sadık confronts a stark divide between his political convictions and the entrenched expectations of his father, Hüseyin. The elder farmer, a steadfast steward of the land, has long resented his son’s abandonment of agrarian duties for “radical” studies, leaving their relationship frosted with bitterness. Yet the ancient rhythms of the countryside—olive trees swaying in the sea breeze, the distant rumble of tractors—offer a quiet canvas on which both men might renegotiate their past and glimpse a shared future.
Amid the rust‑colored earth and the low‑key chatter of a close‑knit household, the infant Deniz inhabits a world of comic‑book wonder, his innocence a gentle counterpoint to the adults’ unresolved grievances. The farm’s other residents—Nuran, a matriarch who commands a tractor and a short‑wave radio; Hanife, an expressive aunt whose arms are adorned with endless bracelets; and Salim, a kindly uncle whose naivety softens the harshness of rural life—populate the scene with warmth and understated humor. Their presence hints at the possibility that love, memory, and the simple act of caring for one another may bridge the chasms that history and ideology have carved.
What Happens in My Father and My Son?
The complete story of My Father and My Son, from the first scene to the last, in 316 words (about 1 minute). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 5 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
In order to study journalism at Istanbul University, Sadık leaves his village on the Aegean coast. This angers his father, Hüseyin, who wants him to study Agricultural Engineering so he can manage the family farm. During his years at university, Sadık becomes a militant in left-wing politics. Upon learning about his behavior, his father disowns him.
However, worse days are ahead for Sadık. In the early hours of the morning on 12 September 1980, Sadık’s pregnant wife starts contractions. The couple runs outside, but they can’t find anyone to take them to the hospital, due to a curfew. The country has been taken over in a military coup. Sadık’s wife gives birth in a park and dies, but their son, Deniz, survives.
Because of his political activities, Sadık is arrested, tortured, and imprisoned for three years during which time he loses his health. A few years after being released, he finds out that he will die. Having no other choice, he takes Deniz back to his family farm on the Aegean into the care of his mother and his father, who still does not speak to him. For Deniz, who is absorbed in the magical world of comic books, meeting his relatives on the farm is a new experience. There is his grandmother Nuran who drives a tractor and speaks on a short wave radio, his aunt Hanife who wears bracelets from her wrist all the way to her shoulder, and his uncle Salim, a man with a touch of naivety.
There is trouble in store, however, for Sadık and Hüseyin who must come to terms with their past and each other. Sadık also needs to face his first love, now married with two children, and the question of old friends. However his sickness takes over and Sadık passes away. His parents take over the responsibility of Deniz, who comes to terms with his father’s loss.
My Father and My Son Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Leaves village for Istanbul University” to “The family endures and awaits reconciliation”. 12 events name a place, across 8 locations.
- 1
Leaves village for Istanbul University
Sadık leaves his village on the Aegean coast to study journalism at Istanbul University, seeking a path beyond farming. This move introduces him to new ideas and begins to strain his relationship with his father, Hüseyin. The family’s expectations clash with Sadık’s ambitions and political leanings.
When:early university years Where:Aegean coast → Istanbul
- 2
Political awakening and disownment
At university, Sadık becomes a militant in left-wing politics, embracing activism that shocks his father. Hüseyin disowns him, severing ties and turning away from his son’s choices. The rift marks a turning point that will haunt the family for years.
When:during university Where:Istanbul
- 3
Coup night and birth tragedy
In the early hours of 12 September 1980, the country is under a military coup and curfew. Sadık’s pregnant wife goes into labor, and they cannot reach a hospital. They bring the baby into a park where the mother dies, but the child Deniz survives.
When:12 September 1980 Where:City park during curfew
- 4
Arrest and imprisonment
Because of his political activities, Sadık is arrested, tortured, and imprisoned for three years. The experience takes a heavy toll on his health and casts a long shadow over his later years. The personal cost of political involvement becomes a central burden for the family.
When:early 1980s Where:Prison
- 5
Release and looming death
A few years after his release, Sadık learns that he will die from his illness. He faces the reality of his own mortality and the difficult choice of what to do with Deniz’s future. The prognosis forces him to confront his remaining time and priorities.
When:late 1980s Where:Home / hospital
- 6
Returning Deniz to the family farm
With limited options, Sadık brings Deniz back to the Aegean family farm to be cared for by his mother and father. Hüseyin remains estranged, not speaking to Sadık, which compounds the emotional weight of Deniz’s arrival. The farm becomes Deniz’s new world and the anchor of his life.
When:post-release period Where:Aegean family farm
- 7
Deniz meets his kin on the farm
Deniz, absorbed in the magical world of comics, begins to explore his relatives—grandmother who drives a tractor and talks on a short-wave radio, an aunt with bracelets from wrist to shoulder, and a naive uncle. These characters introduce him to a tangible sense of family history and culture.
When:early days on the farm Where:Aegean family farm
- 8
Face-to-face with old loves and friends
Sadık confronts his past, including his first love who is now married with two children, prompting reflection on lost opportunities and the fragility of life. He also wonders about old friends and whether those ties can withstand time and illness.
When:mid to late life Where:Flashbacks / countryside
- 9
Illness deepens
Sadık’s sickness intensifies, draining his energy and threatening Deniz’s stability. The escalating illness frames the final chapter of Sadık’s life as the family braces for inevitable loss.
When:late life Where:Aegean farm
- 10
Sadık dies; Deniz remains
Sadık passes away, leaving Deniz in the care of his parents. The death ends Sadık’s struggle and forces the family to shoulder Deniz’s upbringing with renewed resolve. The film closes on Deniz learning to live with his father’s legacy.
When:after death Where:Aegean farm
- 11
Deniz’s first steps into family life
Deniz begins to grow up on the farm under his parents’ guardianship, coming to terms with his father’s loss and the complicated family history. He discovers a world of storytelling through comics and the farm’s rhythms.
When:childhood Where:Aegean farm
- 12
The family endures and awaits reconciliation
The surviving family members navigate their shared past while Deniz forms his own sense of belonging. The story ends with a quiet promise of reconciliation and continuity, grounded in the farm and Deniz’s future.
When:epilogue Where:Aegean farm
Who Are the Main Characters in My Father and My Son?
7 characters, among them Sadık - Fikret Kuşkan, Hüseyin - Çetin Tekindor and Aysun - Tuba Büyüküstün: who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- S-
Sadık - Fikret Kuşkan
Played by Fikret Kuşkan
An idealistic, politically active son who defies his father’s expectations. His leftist militancy creates a rift with family, and his resilience is tested by imprisonment and illness. He ultimately confronts the consequences of his choices and faces death in the end.
- 🎭 complex
- 💔 torn family
- 🛰️ political conscience
- H-
Hüseyin - Çetin Tekindor
Played by Çetin Tekindor
Sadık's father, a pragmatic farmer whose pride and traditional values clash with his son's political path. He remains stubborn and distant, yet the film hints at the emotional weight of their estrangement. He must come to terms with the past in the wake of his son's illness and death.
- 🎭 stern
- 🧭 tradition vs change
- A-
Aysun - Tuba Büyüküstün
Played by Tuba Büyüküstün
Sadık's wife, pregnant at the time of the coup. She endures the harrowing circumstances of giving birth during a curfew and later dies, highlighting the personal cost of political upheaval. Her memory haunts the family as Deniz grows.
- 💔 tragedy
- 👶 motherhood
- 🕊️ loss
- H-
Hanife - Binnur Kaya
Played by Binnur Kaya
Sadık's aunt who embodies family resilience; her bracelets symbolize tradition and strength. She supports Deniz on the farm and represents continuity of kinship through hardship. Her presence anchors the family in the rural setting.
- 🎭 warmth
- 🧶 family ties
- N-
Nuran - Hümeyra
Played by Hümeyra
Deniz's grandmother figure on the farm, a practical and outspoken presence who drives a tractor and communicates via short-wave radio. She embodies the connection to land and community, providing pragmatic guidance amid turmoil.
- 🚜 rural life
- 📡 communication
- 👵 elder wisdom
- S-
Salim - Yetkin Dikinciler
Played by Yetkin Dikinciler
Sadık's uncle, portrayed as a naïve but endearing character. He offers a different, lighter perspective within the family dynamics and acts as a bridge to the older generation's memories.
- 🎭 comic relief
- 🧭 family history
- K-
Kızılderili - Serdar Soybelli
Played by Serdar Soybelli
The uncle figure whose name suggests a more eccentric or symbolic presence. He participates in the family circle on the farm and contributes to Deniz's world of discovery and storytelling.
- 🎭 eccentric
- 🗺️ storyteller
Where and When Is My Father and My Son Set?
My Father and My Son is set in Istanbul, Aegean coast village and family farm (1980). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1980
The film centers on the morning of 12 September 1980 when a military coup imposes a curfew and upheaval. It traces the immediate effects of political turmoil on ordinary people and their families, then follows years of consequence, including imprisonment and illness. The period captures a country in transition, where personal lives collide with national events.
Where
Istanbul, Aegean coast village, family farm
The story unfolds across both urban and rural Turkey, starting with Sadık's studies in Istanbul and then returning to the family farm on the Aegean coast. The coastal village and farm setting ground the family drama amid changing times. The contrast between city life and countryside highlights the tension between modern ambitions and traditional expectations.
- 🏝️ Aegean coast
- 🐄 Rural life
- ⚖️ Political unrest
What Are the Themes of My Father and My Son?
4 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Family, Politics and Trauma.
-
01
Family
Family ties anchor the story as generations clash over duty, love, and survival. Sadık's commitment to his ideals challenges his father’s expectations, and the film follows the fragile bonds that hold the family together through exile, illness, and loss. The arrival of Deniz brings a new focus on legacy and memory.
-
02
Politics
The narrative is driven by political activism and its costs. Sadık's involvement with left-wing politics leads to disownment, arrest, and torture, reflecting the real pressures of political dissent under a military regime. The coup reshapes families and friendships, forcing hard choices about allegiance and survival.
-
03
Trauma
The film portrays the physical and emotional toll of oppression and violence. Imprisonment and torture take a heavy toll on Sadık's health, while grief strikes when his wife dies during childbirth. The trauma reverberates through Deniz and the elders on the farm.
-
04
Memory
Deniz's world of comic books acts as a bridge between past and present. Memory functions as a way to understand and cope with the trauma around him, while the older generation narrates history through personal stories. Memory becomes both a shield and a lens for the family’s experiences.
What Kind of Film Is My Father and My Son?
Melancholic in tone, with steady pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Melancholic
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A deeply melancholic and emotionally heavy drama that explores the painful reconciliation between a dying father and his estranged son, blending moments of rural tenderness with the overwhelming weight of political trauma and loss.
- melancholic
- nostalgic
- heartbreaking
- poignant
- reflective
- somber
- father son relationship
- grief and loss
- family reconciliation
- political conflict
Content notes: torture, death of a parent, death during childbirth, terminal illness, political violence.
Quiz
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