Srž filma "Crna marama" prati sudbinu glavnih junaka koji su razapeti između modernog sveta i strogih patrijarhalnih pravila koja vladaju u ruralnim delovima Turske. Simbolika naslova — crna marama — nije slučajna. Ona predstavlja tugu, žaljenje, ali i veo tajni koje porodica pokušava da sakrije od ostatka sveta.
Zehra moves to the city, working as a seamstress or factory worker. She discovers she is pregnant with Mehmet’s child. Instead of ruining Mehmet’s engagement and future, she hides the baby. The climax often involves a tragic scene where Mehmet sees Zehra on the street, but she turns away, clutching her black headscarf, choosing honour over love. In the most heartbreaking versions, Zehra dies of a broken heart or an illness, and Mehmet only learns the truth at her grave. turski film crna marama