US premiere of Turkish movie ‘Ayla’ held in Washington

WASHINGTON - Anadolu Agency

The U.S. premiere of “Ayla: Daughter of War,” an acclaimed Turkish film set during the Korean War, was organized by the Washington branch of Turkey’s Yunus Emre Institute (YEE) on March 30. 

Attending the premiere at the United States Navy Memorial were high-ranking U.S., South Korean and Turkish guests including Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Diplomacy in Europe and Eurasia Christina Higgins and Turkish Ambassador Serdar Kılıç.

 Speaking before the screening, both Kılıç and Higgins emphasized the courage and determination of Turkish soldiers in the 1950-53 Korean War. 

Kılıç said the movie highlighted the humanitarian relations between Turkey and South Korea and showed that feelings of compassion can exist even during times of war. 

“We need humanitarian feelings especially in these times because there are serious humanitarian issues in many parts of the world,” he added. 

“Ayla: Daughter of War,” which was Turkey’s Oscar entry this year, tells the true story of an orphaned Korean girl discovered by a Turkish soldier during the war. The two form an unbreakable bond as the war goes on and Ayla becomes a symbol of hope for all the Turkish soldiers. 

The movie not only tells a story of hope and love in a time of war but also about how the world came together years later to reunite Ayla and her soldier friend, Sgt. Süleyman. 

“We wanted to spread the message that a Turkish soldier in the Korean War gave to the entire world on the basis of goodness,” Halid Bulut, the U.S. director of the Yunus Emre Institute. 

“With these events, we aim to show the compassion and goodness of the Turkish people and Turkish soldiers to the world,” he added.