Get on with it, hurry...
How's it going?
EASTERN TURKEY, 1994 Approx 1 million lira = $10 U.S.
Run, run, run...
Mihram's here, Mr. Yashar.
Thank God!
How's things?
Did you bring it? - Yes, the cable's over there.
Tea?
Tea!
Quickly!
Come and sit down, I'll get you some tea.
Don't slack. You won't get anywhere like that.
Our world is full of scumbags.
If you don't nail it to the floor they'll steal it.
One morning I come to work
and it's gone.
What does the phone company do? - Nothing.
The phone company doesn't care. They're busy with the new mobile network.
Haven't you seen the aerials going up? - Once they work everyone will want one.
You should look into that.
I have.
You need money to get into that game. - "Money"? What's that?
I heard some people talking about it.
Listen: 50 million to buy a license.
Just to get your foot in the door. 50 million!
I'm lucky if I make 8 million a week.
Talking of prices... One million for the cable?
One? Do I look stupid? - Yes.
I paid 2 million for it. - Like hell...
Is there enough? Will it reach?
It reaches exactly, but it's covered in bird shit.
How was I to know?
Do I now have to buy back my own cable?
What, do you think I stole it?
I'll give you a good price.
Oh! This world's crazy.
Mihram is coming, clear the roads...
This is his story. This is his story.
Mihram, Mihram...
Mihram brings gifts.
His goods are the best.
Come and buy goods from Mihram! Come to Mihram!
Work and trade have become our life.
Money is our common tongue and blood.
THE MARKET - A TALE OF TRADE
God...
let it be a 20 million note.
Please hear my prayer.
If I make 50 million, I will be good all my life.
50 million...
and I will give up drinking.
I bet he comes home with nothing.
When he's away a long time,
it's normally because he's gambled or drunk it all away.
He's too ashamed to come home.
When he does, he brings presents to soften us up.
He's hiding the fact that he's come back empty-handed.
Where have you been?
Business was bad this week. - Surprise, surprise.
Can't shake off my bad luck. - Why?
The cable I sold...
turned out to be Yashar's stolen cable.
I sold it back to him.
Don't laugh. - It's funny!
It's wasn't funny at the time.
Anything more than soup?
You smell of beer again.
Have some apricots.
Cigarettes?
You missed a great game.
Hi, Osman.
My son wants a microscope. Can you find me one?
Just pay me this time. - Of course.
What model?
What models are there? - Do you think I know?
Then why ask?
I'm just guessing, but I imagine there's more than one kind.
One for kids.
What does he want it for?
Dunno. My son's a bit weird.
He wants to see small things.
That's what you do with a microscope.
The match is starting. - Great.
You guys do nothing but gamble.
Shut up! I can't think! You've fucked it up!
See!
It's my lucky day. - I hope it gives you paper cuts.
Next week I'll clean you out.
I'll take your trousers, shirt, even your wife!
You can have my wife for free.
FOR RENT
Lord...
Please help me, your servant.
You lost...
Mustafa... - Are you waiting for Serhat?
You've not changed your mind. Still a lone cowboy?
Yes, Mustafa, still a lone cowboy.
Do you want to stay poor? How's the family? Hungry?
Fine. Yours?
I just bought the wife a new dishwasher.
Nice. Can't she wash up herself?
"Business" must be good. - Super.
Come on, Elif wants a washing machine, new carpets, new clothes...
Who wouldn't?
Maybe I'll drop in on her during your next "business" trip.
You're small-time.
That was okay once, but the market's changing. The little fish just get eaten.
We're here whenever you need us, Mihram.
The doctor's here.
You were meant to call her, remember?
She's been waiting here since six.
A drink? - No, no.
Can I have some water?
How much do you drink?
One when I come home.
Raki?
No, never touch it...
Do you still smoke?
Foreign cigarettes.
Business must be good.
Cheap foreign cigarettes.
As your doctor, I advise you against smoking.
Can I have one?
A terrible thing happened.
The dispensary truck was robbed miles away before it got close to here.
We lost a lot of medicine and supplies.
They can't replace them for weeks.
You wouldn't... - I can find you anything, doctor.
I know that's your slogan.
I got you that textbook.
Yes. - So I can get you medicine.
Good... Excuse me.
I'm late. I have to make a house call.
Will you come with me?
What we urgently need is 500ml of a vaccine.
One bottle goes a long way.
Where will you get it?
From across the border.
What are you paying upfront? And what's my fee?
This is a children's drug. It saves lives.
I'll pay upfront, but a fee...
No fee?
Criminals stole this medicine. The hospital's having to buy it twice.
Are you saying you won't get it?
This is a question of honour. There's a shortage.
If there's a shortage, the price will be high.
Ever heard of supply and demand?
What's it worth?
What's a life worth?
What does it retail at?
I'm giving you 70 million.
70 million?
What did she want?
More textbooks.
Lazy, good-for-nothing scum! Get a proper job.
Who sent you?
This is my land! Leave or God help me I'll shoot you!
Where have you sprung from, you bastard? When my son gets back he'll show you.
How's things?
Tell them to get off my land.
Get off her land!
How long had she been going on? - All day.
You have to sign this state document.
I don't want this damn thing on my land! - Can you believe this woman?
Unbelievable. - I don't want this thing on my land!
When will the network be up and running?
In a couple of weeks. Buy your phone now.
Two weeks?
So soon?
Where were you before? - Erzurum.
How are they selling there? - Like hot cakes.
I'll knock it down!
Leave it out, witch!
Kids are buying them like nobody's business.
Why? - It's the thing to have.
When my son gets here he'll cut off your balls!
Tell your son to do him first. All he does is sit around smoking.
Bye, thanks.
Do you want to buy a bag of fertilizer? - Get off my land, dog sperm!
You know where you can stick your fertilizer!
Can I take this?
Of course.
Thanks.
Shall I make your coffee?
Mihram... Shall I make your coffee?
Why are you so happy?
It's worrying me.
I think you know.
Elif...
What?
The doctor told me.
Why didn't you say
that you're going across the border to get medicines for the children?
Don't be pleased. I won't make any money.
God will provide.
You won't get housekeeping money this week.
This good deed will bring us good luck.
Don't I always say
that you're a good man underneath?
One day you'll actually rise up to heaven.
And I'll have a heart attack.
Hey, St. Mihram, saviour of the children.
Tell me it's a front.
It's a front.
Tell me there's something behind it. - Yes, there's something behind it.
What are you up to?
Do you think I'd tell you?
A long journey for no profit.
My reward will be in heaven.
I've got two proposals for you.
I'm not interested.
What are they?
We've got our own pharmaceuticals guy. That would save you the trip.
No thanks, my client wants things legal. And medicine's cheaper over the border.
That brings me to number 2. We'll lend you capital to buy bigger.
No.
If I want money, I'll go to the bank.
Like the bank would lend to you!
For poor people like you, we are the bank.
With lifelong loyalty from your customers?
Someone has to regulate the black market.
People don't seem to complain.
People like working with us.
Dogs like to be dogs.
"Dogs"?
So Saint Mihram can look down on us?
Don't forget, we're in the same gutter.
We're not in the same gutter, Mustafa.
I'm in my own gutter.
Do you still think you're an island?
In trade, everything connects.
It's its own self-contained world.
So you keep saying.
You're up to something. You want more, it's in your blood.
What? - Trade, profit...
You're good at it.
What are you really up to, Mihram?
Getting medicine for children.
I don't believe you're doing it for nothing.
People change.
I had some new cards made.
Watch yourself, St. Mihram...
Remember we're watching you.
Is there petrol? - Yes
How much? - 100,000.
It was 80,000 last week...
Where's Emre Street? - Petrol? - No.
I'll show you for 200,000.
50,000.
Okay.
Where is it? - I don't know.
Then why am I paying you 50,000?
Next left.
Next left? - Yes
Smile.
You have to learn to smile a bit more.
Try it, it won't hurt.
Know any English? - No, but I can do Jack Nicholson.
What use is that? - What use is English?
It's the language of business.
The company offers a business training course.
I've been selling since I could walk.
This is a new kind of approach.
Not just a product, but a lifestyle.
The company has an image
which its representatives must reflect.
It's a philosophy, you see.
It's a phone.
Okay.
Good retail experience.
Understands phones, retail outlet...
A shop in your main town square?
Write the shop's address here.
You meet all the guidelines apart from number 7.
Are you smart, presentable and good with people?
I'd work on that if I were you.
Have a look.
Get yourself some new threads.
That's 49,750,000.
Payable on confirmation of the license.
Do you want to strip me to my underpants?
Let's say 35 million.
Prices are set at central HQ in Istanbul. They're not for bargaining.
"Not for bargaining?"
I'll be back in a week.
God willing...
...in my underpants.
Gentlemen, I need six of you today.
We're alone.
Everything okay?
Three sacks, 20 million each. 60 million.
Where did you get it?
Where does the moon get its light?
Have a good journey.
Come back safe.
God willing.
Thank you, God, for my good fortune.
Stay with me.
Help a man change his life.
Turkey/Azerbaijan Border
Where did you get this?
"Where does the moon get its light?"
From the sun.
How much?
How much will you pay?
Half a million...
You know the value's nearer 6 million.
So you're an expert?
No. Are you?
3.5 million.
A deal?
Shall I wrap it?
Next in line move forward.
Next, come on.
Purpose of visit?
Visiting relatives. - You're heading?
Nahcivan. - Why didn't you take the bus?
I like driving. - You like driving...
Anything to sell or trade?
- No.
Occupation? - Market trader.
Currency?
Any currency?
Sorry, about 10 million.
Why are you so nervous? - Nervous?
Why are you so nervous?
Your gun, the uniform... I'm not nervous.
Okay, out of the car.
Fuck.
What are these?
Can I have them?
Okay, move on.
Thank you. - Move on!
Hello.
I think you're a son of a whore.
I think so, cos I know your mum.
See you.
Where's he got to, that donkey?
You try and kill me, you bastard! - Greetings, Uncle.
What kind of driving is that? - Get in.
I should get the bus.
The bus comes every 6 hours. Come on, get in!
Where are the sacks? - Slung under the back.
Did you smuggle them? - You think I'd pay duty?
You smuggled them! - Did you think I'd have the right paperwork?
My heart...
Your heart? What risk did you take?
You smuggled them.
Well, I succeeded.
To the factory now? - They're expecting us at four.
I hope they don't want to see the paperwork...
Business is business, Uncle.
They'll buy because it's cheap.
I'm worried...
You're always worried!
Cast your worries aside. - I do, but they keep coming back.
I'll give you a cut: It's on your information.
Don't blame me if things go wrong.
Stop talking about things going wrong.
So how's life?
Bad.
Terrible.
You don't say.
After 25 years' service, they throw you out without so much as a by-your-leave.
When I think what I did for that company...
They brought me to this godforsaken country.
Why did I leave my homeland?
The men here are all thieves.
The women are all whores or worse.
Now I'm stuck here.
Why are you stuck here? - My home's here.
That fleapit?
You live in a palace now, do you? - No, I live in a fleapit.
I just don't moan about it.
You know I moan.
Does it do you any good? - Don't be too hard on my moaning.
It's my only pleasure in life.
When I was young I was happy. - And then?
I got married.
Uncle? - Have we passed him?
The guy on the bike? We've passed him.
I owe him money.
Go to the far end.
Damn this factory.
We're early.
Uncle? What does the factory make?
It makes nothing now.
It's not where the money is. It purifies raw materials.
The stuff comes,
and we purify it and send it to the West.
Where? - Finland, mainly Finland.
Where? - Finland.
Where's that? - Up near the North Pole.
The stuff comes from Africa, we treat it, then it goes to Finland.
They use it in mobile phones.
This world's crazy.
Hello.
They're here.
Open a sack to test for purity.
It's a simple, quick chemical test.
I used to do it myself.
Leave us.
$200 a sack.
No deal.
Fine.
$450 a sack.
Where else can you sell it? Supply and demand.
"Supply and demand"? - Supply, demand.
This is the only factory around here using that stuff.
So there's no competition.
$200.
If that's the case, why pay $200 a sack?
You should offer $1 a sack.
Better still, why not ask for them for free?
$450. - $200.
Okay.
$440.
It's normally $460, Faizul tells me.
You can have it for $440. Write $450 in your books.
Tell your boss you've got a new supplier. He'll be happy the price is lower.
You take home $30 in your pocket.
Or... you can have nothing.
Your choice.
You're bluffing.
You need to sell.
Okay.
I'm tired of arguing.
$300.
Leave the sacks and go.
$420. - You said he'd give me a good price.
Faruk...
You drive a hard bargain.
I'll take $410.
Okay, $400.
$400.
You're a great man.
That young cretin keeps his job and I lose mine.
Here...
What's the time, Uncle?
Five.
I'll go tomorrow. - Where?
Is it left here? - Yes.
I mean no! Right!
Just point next time, you maniac.
Sorry, I have a problem with my left and right.
Sorry, I'm just fed up being poor.
In cold blood you took the hospital's money...
I'll get the medicine. - And gambled with it.
Blood money, that's what it is these days.
There used to be honour and honesty. Now it's just a free-for-all.
There's no trust between people.
I'm ashamed of you, Nephew.
Shut up I'll! - Ashamed!
Did you think once about family honour?
If you don't like it, give the money back.
What would your father say? - Not much, he's dead.
Your name dirt, our family name ruined.
When I'm rich I'll be good. I had a good opportunity and took it.
You missed the turning.
How was I supposed to know?
It's like you never saw food before.
I was hungry.
You hadn't eaten today, had you?
I had a snack.
Aren't you drinking?
I made a deal with God.
I had a drink once...
When my wife left me, I thought I'd have a drink.
I bought some raki.
I drank it with water.
I thought, "What's all the fuss about... nothing's happening. "
I drank more... Still nothing.
I poured a huge glass and drank it.
I thought "This is drunk? What is it?"
Then the phone rang. It was my wife.
I started cursing her and her family.
Words I never knew I knew.
I hung up and started throwing up.
Then her brothers arrived.
She'd told them what I'd called her.
They beat me up and smashed up the house.
They stole the valuables.
The landlord arrived, saw the smashed-up house and told me to get out.
I went out and smashed his car up.
The police found me and locked me up.
The next morning they let me go. I went to work feeling terrible.
I got the chemicals wrong in one of the vats.
It exploded.
Luckily no-one was hurt.
A few days later they sacked me.
I haven't touched a drop since.
I'll play one hand, Uncle.
No, Nephew.
Just one game, it'll be okay.
Hi, friends...
May I sit in, or is it a private game? - Of course, take a seat.
I'm Irfan.
Irfan...
are you from Ediköy?
Recently I heard that three donkeys...
...were raped there.
Was that you?
I'll raise you $10.
The medicine...
Medicine?
Is it curable? Your condition?
They can cure anything these days.
They can make the blind see, the deaf hear...
...the lame walk...
...and the incontinent dry.
And I'll raise you $10...
It's not your money.
Thank you for the game.
Allow me to pay the bill.
Leave us a $20 tab on top.
We want to eat.
Bye.
Nice to meet you.
What?
I told you I was lucky...
Leave my uncle alone!
Uncle!
You see what...
Be quiet!
Having money will take some getting used to. - The medicine money's gone!
The medicine money?
But the bastards stole all my winnings.
Some you win, some you lose.
Does your leg hurt?
It's nothing.
Uncle...
Sometimes I really regret that I didn't have an education.
Just think, if I had, I could have ended up just like you.
Tea, donkey?
That would be good.
Don't worry.
The mad old prof will make the tea.
Hello. - Hello, how's things?
Sorry, we're out of stock.
But I phoned two days ago...
We made a deal and set a price: $450.
It all went yesterday.
All of it?
No... Please check again.
I sold it myself.
There won't be any more till the 19th.
What do you mean, madam?
We had an arrangement.
There's a shortage over the border.
A buyer came in yesterday offering good money. So I sold it all.
What do you mean? You said you'd put it aside for me!
We had an arrangement!
Business is business, sir!
We had an arrangement.
Drive, donkey.
Where to? - That way.
Back to Turkey?
Someone has to make sure you don't do anything else stupid.
Uncle... - Shut up and drive, you moron! The family name is at stake.
If you think I'm going home without the medicine...
I'm thinking no such thing. My old friend Mehmet...
Mehmet? - A hospital director in Ezren.
It's a long way. - We'll be there tomorrow.
Uncle... - Shut up and drive!
You mix with criminals, I mix with a higher class...
Hospital directors, we studied together!
Education!
TURKEY
Hello. Is this the guest house?
Yes. Welcome.
Joseph used to be a farmer. Now like most people...
Light one brother?
Thanks Eziz, I haven't got any left.
It's my last one too, let's share like brothers.
Okay.
Rival military groups are fighting over the open mines.
The mineral is being used in the West in hightech industries
and it's the only source of income in the area.
That's the material we're processing.
The lack of stability has disrupted the traditional agricultural economy.
Farmers are leaving their land
for the relative safety of the towns and cities.
A short time ago the UN...
It stopped snowing.
Wait here, donkey.
He died two months ago.
I should have died.
My life would be less stressful if I died.
Where are you going?
The dispensary. - They won't sell their own stock.
There's always a price.
I need some of this.
You must take the patient to the hospital, so the doctor can prescribe it.
No, I need to buy some.
This is a hospital dispensary, not a chemist's.
I can pay.
This isn't a shop.
Maybe a donation. - I beg your pardon!
A donation?
50 million.
Let me explain, my friend,
the hospital needs that medicine for the sick.
70 million.
The retail value is 60 million.
I told you this is not a retail outlet.
75 million.
80 million.
100 million.
110.
120 million?
No. It's too much.
I never named a price.
You did.
You have to come down.
It's a seller's market.
How much have you got?
100 million.
People here might suffer if I sell that medicine.
People there might suffer if you don't.
I have work to do. This conversation is over.
There's always a price.
Some things are not for sale.
Dispensary?
If it's an emergency... Okay, I'm coming.
Put it away, scumbag.
That fucking medicine!
Baran?
Have you seen Baran?
Sorry.
Good health.
Uncle...
Uncle, I got the medicine.
Come on, get in. - What's the rush?
Get in.
How much? - 70 million, like the doctor said.
Then everything's okay.
After all that, thank God.
I'm so very proud of you.
What's wrong?
Why did you stop?
Whatever you did, you did it for your family.
We'll pretend the bad stuff never happened and keep it to ourselves.
This song goes out to Mihram, who really knows how to put it away.
Mustafa welcomes you home.
Look at you, you dance so well!
We heard you were successful.
Which was clever.
Seeing that we bought all the rest of the medicine.
There's quite a demand.
We should clean up.
Another drink?
Our pharma guy had a call from Ezren hospital.
It seems there was a theft there.
Now they have to buy some from us.
Oh, St. Mihram...
If only you'd bought from me at the start.
But your secret's safe with me.
We help the police...
...but we protect our own.
You're one of us now!
Look at me.
The world turns. We all become dogs in the end.
Heard about the phones, very clever.
You have a choice: Either you make me a 50% partner or the police find out about Ezren.
There's no hurry.
Make your decision tomorrow.
Enjoy your drink.
Let's sleep, let's not ask, let's forget...
Let's forget where the moon gets its light...
Let's not ask...
Let's not ask where the moneyflower comes from...
Let's forget...
Sleep...
MOBILE PHONE SHOP OPENING SOON
Let's sleep, let's not ask, let's forget...
Let's forget where the moon gets its light...
Let's not ask...
Let's not ask where the moneyflower comes from...
Let's forget...
Sleep...
THE MARKET
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