When We Leave

The German nominee for the 2010 Oscar for Best Foreign Language film, When We Leave is a melodrama about the ramifications of a Turkish-German woman's decision to flee with her 5-year-old son away from her brutal husband in Istanbul and back to her Muslim family in Berlin. Umay (Sibel Kekilli) has come to accept modern, secular cultural norms, but she finds herself up against Islamic tradition in the reaction of her relatives, who not only consider her action a stain on their honor but also plot to send young Cem (charming tyke Nizam Schiller) back to his father. Umay takes the child and goes off to build a life on her own, but ultimately cannot sever her ties to her parents and siblings, nor can they change their hostile attitude toward her—a standoff that eventually leads to tragedy. When We Leave is basically an old-fashioned weepy given a contemporary spin in its depiction of the cultural clash between immigrant social customs and Western mores in today's Europe. Still, the story generates considerable power, thanks largely to the excellent performances, especially by Kekilli. While writer-director Feo Aladag's treatment sometimes lacks subtlety, she does inject a gritty naturalism that overpowers sentimentality, even in the heart-wrenching final moments. Recommended. (F. Swietek)