And this is just one depiction of it. We don't need to be in such circumstances to feel it, either. When things change, it is better for some and worse for others. The dinosaurs ruled the Earth and eventually died out (except for birds?) otherwise leaving mostly mammals to take over. On a micro-scale we live out this similar drama every day.
I'm not really sure what is to be learned from a story like this, except something of how people lived in those parts in the 80s (?).
It seemed very realistic. I'll give them that. Things could have been worse or better. I figured, given the situation they were going into and seeing as how it's a story, probably the boy would not survive or maybe the woman.

After watching this film, my problems seem quite trivial.
This was a very good film. Well worth watching.

____I like to see and hear the sounds of other peoples and places, but still be able to catch what's going on via subtitles/captions. I would much rather hear a real foreign language than unauthentically dubbed English, as though the whole world speaks English. This story takes place in Turkey, Italy, and Switzerland, with spectacular scenery in the backdrop.____It's a very sad film that shows in great detail how people believe they can buy a better life in a new land through a chain of mostly untrustworthy strangers--but it also shows the great compassion of a few people who may not understand all of each other's words, but understand the importance of kindness.____This is worth watching, in order to better understand the plight of people who see no way out of their impoverished and limited existence, except to start over somewhere else--anywhere else, in any way possible, even at great cost and danger--and the people who profit from them, if they survive. Discussing foreign policy and immigration law should not be done without seeing and knowing what happens to the people involved. This is not a fairy tale. No sex, no special effects, no movie stars--just some really good work that the world needs to see.

If I wanted to read, I would read a book.

Haydar hoped for a better life for his family and set out on a journey to Switzerland. I think the words of his father right before the trip foreshadowed the events to come. On the Journey of Hope they get to see how cruel life can be. This is a terribly sad movie with little glimmers of happiness throughout. I guess that is how life is.