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Journey of Hope

Play trailer Poster for Journey of Hope PG Released Apr 26, 1990 1h 50m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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83% Tomatometer 6 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
A Turkish couple (Necmettin Çobanoglu, Nur Sürer) and their son (Emin Sivas) cross the Swiss Alps illegally, in search of a better life.

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Journey of Hope

Critics Reviews

View All (6) Critics Reviews
Owen Gleiberman Entertainment Weekly Rated: B- Jan 31, 2012 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times There is enormous potential here, but the film does not quite pay off, and the crucial decisions taken at each stage of this story are often so stupid and foolhardy that we despair. Rated: 2.5/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Steve Davis Austin Chronicle Rated: 3/5 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com This surprise winner of the Best Foreign Language Oscar centers on a poor Turkish couple looking for work in Swizerland Rated: B- Feb 20, 2012 Full Review Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat Spirituality & Practice Celebrates the courage and the hope of these refugees who are shamefully treated by both those who prey upon them and those who are quick to close doors on ethnic outsiders Jul 12, 2003 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (18) audience reviews
Audience Member Beating out the hot favourite, the French Cyrano de Bergerac, at the 62nd Academy Awards in 1991 for Best Foreign Film is this utterly heart-wrenching drama about a Turkish peasant family of three on the titular passage toward an elusive mirage of economic security with undeserving repayment. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Audience Member A very simple premise of a Turkish man who dreams of a better life, so he sells all of his belongings to make passage to Switzerland accompanied by his wife and one of his sons. Of course, the journey does not go according to plan. There's nothing original about this story or its execution. Although it moves along nicely, there's little to no character development or depth to this film. The father appears to be motivated by nothing more than some dreamy selfishness and at no point in his journey do you feel he's grown wiser by his struggles and eventual tragedy. The contrast of locations to illustrate the concept that the grass is not always greener on the other side is so obvious, it's embarrassing. The dialogue with regard to the ripping up of one's roots and the casting aside of one's legacy is again so heavy handed it lacks finesse. Overall, a bitter disappointment. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/03/23 Full Review Audience Member Powerful and sad with a haunting ending. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member A good film that could have been a lot better. Great performance by the lead actor. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Audience Member Cuando te enteras de que ha sido basado en un hecho real se te cae el alma al suelo. Muy buena película, muy bien narrada. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/12/23 Full Review Audience Member Haydar hoped for a better life for his family and set out on a journey to Switzerland. I think the words of his father right before the trip foreshadowed the events to come. On the Journey of Hope they get to see how cruel life can be. This is a terribly sad movie with little glimmers of happiness throughout. I guess that is how life is. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Journey of Hope

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Cast & Crew

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Xavier Koller

Director

Necmettin Çobanoglu

Haydar Sener

Nur Sürer

Meryem

Emin Sivas

Mehmet Ali

Erdinc Akbas

Adama

Mathias Gnädinger

Truckdriver Ramser

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Journey of Hope

Journey of Hope (1990) Journey of Hope (1990) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A Turkish couple (Necmettin Çobanoglu, Nur Sürer) and their son (Emin Sivas) cross the Swiss Alps illegally, in search of a better life.
Director
Xavier Koller
Producer
Peter-Christian Fueter, Alfi Sinniger
Screenwriter
Xavier Koller, Feride Çiçekoglu
Distributor
Miramax Films
Production Co
Schweizer Fernsehen (FS), Antea Cinematografica, Condor Films, Channel Four Films
Rating
PG
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Turkish
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 26, 1990, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 14, 2016
Runtime
1h 50m
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