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Ayla: The Daughter of War
Ayla
2017 124 min Turkey PG-13 12+
★7.9
Drama, War, History
Director: Can Ulkay
Trailers
Description
In 1950, amidst the ravages of the Korean War, Sergeant Süleyman stumbles upon a a half-frozen little girl, with no parents and no help in sight and he risks his own life to save her, smuggling her into his army base and out of harm’s way.
Budget:
$4.2M
Worldwide:
$21.11M
Starring
Çetin Tekindor
Actor
Ismail Hacioglu
Actor
Lee Kyung-jin
Actor
Awards
19 wins & 11 nominations total
Key opinion
Ayla is a polarizing drama that draws strength from its moving real-life premise of a soldier adopting an orphan, yet it suffers from significant narrative flaws. While some viewers are deeply touched by its message of selfless love, others criticize it for relying on melodrama and failing to provide a cohesive, well-structured historical account.
| Emotion | The film effectively highlights rare, poignant stories of human sacrifice and paternal devotion amidst the chaos of war. | |
| Acting | The child actor's performance succeeds in conveying warmth, wisdom, and selfless love throughout the narrative. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay presents an overly idealized, flawless portrait of the protagonist that lacks necessary character depth and causal clarity. | |
| Pacing | The narrative structure feels fragmented and misses the opportunity to deeply explore the most compelling part of the story: the characters' later life and reunion. | |
| Emotion | Opinions on the film's tone are split: some find the emotional tenderness and melodramatic elements moving, while others view them as primitive, forced, or lacking the depth of the original documentary. |