24/03/2011
V.A. Musetto / New York Post
BAL

Welcome to the sound of silence, courtesy of "Bal," Turkey's official entry for the 2010 foreign-language Oscar.

The beautifully paced drama keeps talk to a bare minimum and has no musical score. Listen closely, and you'll hear birds and other sounds of nature.

The setting is an isolated mountain area, where elementary-school student Yusuf, a stutterer, lives with his parents. Dad, Yakup, is a beekeeper, and Yusuf is proud of the older man's skillful hanging of hives in the highest trees.

Then Yakup goes off on a mission in a treacherous area of the mountains, and the sensitive boy's life is torn apart.

"Bal" ("Honey"), directed by Semih Kaplanoglu, is a thoughtful and intelligent film, and should appeal to adventurous souls.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/movies/bal_hmVXr4j0vPIaELdvMZuNCO#ixzz1aMmSQETi