Film brings a mother’s compassion to the silver screen
ISTANBUL
"Bi Umut” (One Hope), produced by Mustafa Uslu, hit theaters on Nov. 7, bringing to life the remarkable story of Gülsüm Kabadayı, who took care of an unidentified young Russian boy after a devastating traffic accident.
Honored many times as “Mother of the Year,” Kabadayı recalled her first encounter with the young man she later named Umut (Hope): “God brought us together, a mother and a son. He gave us the light of love in our hearts. I always say, don’t act with your mind, act with your conscience. That’s how our story began.”
She shared a striking detail about their bond: “At one point, Umut needed fresh blood. I didn’t know his type, but it turned out to be A Rh positive, the same as mine. God clearly wanted it that way.”
Despite life’s challenges, Kabadayı said she never lost faith. “I had three children, I was divorced, and one of my children was disabled. Then I had a second special child. But as I always say, the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.”
She said Umut taught them love and humanity: “He respected our efforts. We say we gave him care, but he gave that care meaning. He called me ‘mother.’ He taught us compassion, unity and love like a whole new world.”
Director Gökhan Arı said he was deeply moved when he first read the screenplay a year and a half ago. “It is a real story; a woman who kept alive a child doctors said would live only three months. From the first reading through every stage of production, we never left the emotional tone of the story,” he said. “The essence of the film is simple: Goodness will save the world,” Arı added.
Actress Arzum Onan, who plays Kabadayı’s close friend Fatma, said: “You don’t need a blood tie to be a mother. Compassion and conscience have no geography, and love has no language. I’m sure this film will remind people of sacred values they’ve forgotten or neglected.”
The film also stars Hülya Duyar, Fikret Kuşkan, Leon Kemstach, Hayat Van Eck, Yüsra Geyik, Füsun Kostak, Necmi Yapıcı, Levent Ülgen and Bahtiyar Engin.
