The mother's deep love for her exiled son, Giorgis, and her pain and despair over the inexplicable murder of her other son, Christakis, are vividly depicted in Georgios Vizyenou's short story. The return of the exiled son somewhat sweetens her pain, but does not cure her grief. She therefore exhorts Giorgis and her other son, Michael, to search for their brother's murderer and not to leave him unavenged. Of course, she is unaware of who her son's murderer is and searches for him anxiously, at the same time that her Turkish protege, Kiamil, whom she had nursed as her own child, after a dramatic adventure, is also unaware that he is the one who, unwittingly, has killed his benefactor's son. A shocking revelation, which when it comes to light, has tragic consequences...

Mavi Sürgün is a fictionalized account of one period of the life of a Turkish journalist who was condemned to exile for an article he wrote in 1925. He turned his punishment into a reward by creating a little paradise in what is today the holiday resort, Bodrum. In fact he is considered by some to be the first ecologist. The film concentrates on this latter aspect of his character and through flashbacks portrays the inner turmoil of a man who is trying to come to terms with his past. The slow pace is somewhat of a drawback, the flashbacks are often confusing and the protagonist is not always very convincing. But the photography of the country side is exceptional Kenan Ormanlar and the short appearance by a very theatrical Hanna Schygulla of Fassbinder fame adds a little spice to the drama.

1977 film by Michael Cacoyannis