One of the most popular films in Turkey this year, Hamam -- or "Turkish Bath" in English -- has received numerous international awards. But it was overlooked in its bid to represent Turkey as a nominee for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars. Our Ankara correspondent Chris Morris explains why Hamam has upset some people in Turkey.

Turkish cinema is undergoing something of a renaissance after many years in the doldrums. Hamam is the latest example of an encouraging trend, but it has courted controversy, exploring a variety of long-suppressed cultural and sexual issues.

Shot mainly in Istanbul, it tells the story of an Italian man who falls in love with the son of his Turkish hosts. Homosexuality is rarely discussed in public in Turkey, where the image of the macho male still flourishes.

But Hamam puts homosexuality at the heart of its story. It also places it in the context of the Turkish bath house, a traditional meeting place held in high esteem even though its social role has diminished in the fast pace of the modern world.

The film has been an instant hit at the box office and among the critics, many of whom thought it should have been put forward for consideration for an Oscar. But some people have been upset, and that may have harmed its prospects.

The Turkish Bath Owners Association even went as far as threatening legal action against the film, saying that such shameful things never happen in a bath house. Cinema goers are still queuing up to see Hamam, though, which still hopes to win recognition in the United States.