Discoveries from Turkey World Cinema

Ninjas are on a murder spree, and the helpless police call for help from police lieutenant Murat, who had once defeated them.

Beren is a young girl preparing for her university entrance exams. After returning from a camp she attended, Beren suddenly falls ill. At this time, her father Salih is abroad for work, and her stepmother Nurdan, who loves her like her own daughter, calls her brother Doğu to stay with them, thinking it will be good for her. However, shortly after Doğu and his wife Nergis arrive, events unfold that will deeply affect everyone's lives. Because Beren has become physically and psychologically ill due to a spell cast on her.

The film tells the love story of Reyhan, who works as a sales assistant at a record company, and Mehmet, a driver. Mehmet is going to Germany to buy a car. His fiancée Reyhan does not want him to go. Ekrem, the King of Nightclubs, hears Reyhan sing by chance. He decides to make her a singing star. Reyhan initially rejects the offer but later accepts it, thinking she can buy a car and prevent Mehmet from going to Germany. Mehmet, believing Reyhan has chosen fame over him, leaves her. As Mehmet is about to leave for Germany, he falls into a trap set by Ekrem and ends up in prison. The gambling tricks he learns in prison open the door to wealth for him. Mehmet is determined to take revenge on Ekrem and Reyhan. However, there is one thing Mehmet does not know.

Yasemin, who lives with her sister Ayşe, has a beautiful relationship with her fiancé Ufuk. However, their happy life is shattered after Ayşe's nightmares come true. A spell cast by a sorcerer using infidel jinn causes certain entities from the Cuhenna tribe to haunt Yasemin.

The year is 2003, and the Private Çamlıca High School, once home to the legendary “Hababam Class”, is still in operation. The school’s founder has passed away, and his son, nicknamed “Mad Bedri,” now runs the place. The time-honored Hababam traditions continue in full force, and every teacher is so exasperated by the endless pranks of that class that they’re constantly looking for a way out. Seeing his chance, Mad Bedri plans to sell the school to a developer in exchange for floor space rights, so that it can be torn down and replaced with a high-rise office complex. When the principal, Fatoş, learns of his scheme, she enlists the help of the original “Hababam” alumni to save the school by taking on its current troublemakers. Tensions rise once Bedri announces the sale, and a huge surprise awaits everyone.

Yakup and Şemsa are Assyrians living in Berlin with their three children and grandchildren. Twenty-five years ago they migrated from Mardin to Berlin. One day they receive a phone call from Mardin. This unexpected call deals with their son Mikhael, whom they lost twenty-five years ago. All the suffering of the family is refreshed. Yakup and Şemsa go to Mardin with their grandchildren, Nardin, who do not want to leave them alone. This trip will be the beginning of all their personal journeys. When the craftsman Yakup, who had not come for years, abandoned his village and saw his house looted; He will go after his house door. On his journey of finding the door, he will be accompanied by her granddaughter Nardin and the smuggler Remzi.

The film follows the lives of those who immigrate to the city, leaving their families behind. Ahmet and his friends came to the city with great expectations, but soon confront the difficulties of adjusting to life there. After days of job hunting, they finally find employment in the harbor.

Muezzin Musa falls for his neighbor, the Catholic nurse Clara. The story gets even more exceptional when Musa meets Yakup, who turns out to be connected with Clara.

Greek Spies are trying to give bad image about turkey, Metin a young police man who decides to go rogue and achieve justice after the murder of his partner and his family on the hands of Greek spies.

Tired of the misfortunes she has experienced throughout her life, Bade tries to escape her dark cloud through fortune tellers, therapies, and many other methods. Unable to find a solution, Bade decides to search for the reason behind her misfortunes in her past. On this journey, Bade's greatest ally is Yusuf, who, like her, cannot escape his own misfortunes. The two face various adventures along the way.

Mirac is 35 years old, a psychic who is fond of religious duties. Having lost his family in a traffic accident at a young age, Mirac starts to stay with his grandmother, Döne. Döne is a sorcerer who casts evil spells and gets the help of a genie named Ummar. Mirac is disturbed by his grandmother's evil spells and escapes from his grandmother and settles in Istanbul.

Ara is the story of four people and an empty house. These people are stuck between their past and stormy relationships, between Istanbul and the "homes" they can't get back, between their innermost secrets and the lies they tell, between east and west. They are stuck in the "space between". The whole action takes place in an almost empty flat which is belong to one of the characters. The camera goes out only once. But various other visuals from commercials, TV series' that has been shot in the same flat, sneak into the film. Spanning around 10 years, the story is told between intervals of these visuals. Turkey has been through a huge change in the last 20-30 years. The modest country of the recent past is a faded memory compared to the consumerist life style of modern day. It is the time of ambitious people who can do anything to "live well", to "break through". This is the story of a small group of people who manage to "live well" but can't help getting lost in a spiritual vacuum.

Yılmaz is a young man stuck between his dreams and his father in a small town in Anatolia. His greatest dream is to buy a small tractor (patpat) that will pave the way for him to start his own business. However, both his father and the living conditions in the region stand as major obstacles even to his smallest dream. Yılmaz, along with his close friend who also wanders aimlessly in pursuit of his dreams, chases after new and different opportunities every day.

Nur is a woman who suffers from bipolar depression with psychosis. While she stays in a mental institution she confronts with her life; her childhood, her parents and her marriage...Can she ever learn to love herself?

Akın's life, who lived with a father he didn't like and a sick mother, changed after he lost his mother. He plans to start a new life with the money he steals from the carpentry workshop where he works. When his girlfriend Deniz dismisses this dream as ridiculous and leaves him, he accepts an offer from his friend İdris. This offer involves working as a foot soldier for a mafia group.

Fog and the Night is the search of an investigator who has lost his confidence in his organization and whose happy "family father" order has been disrupted by his young lover.And introverted man due to his profession, not a big talker or well in expressing his feelings, Sedat is being consumed, going through the hardest time of his life, not able to silence his guilty conscience because he was unsuccessful in solving the murder of his partner, whom he saw as a brother. His faith in his organization is shaken as he witnesses the schemes in machination inside the organization and between the organization and the state. Meanwhile, while trying to find his lover who has disappeared after falling for a former militant, he does not refrain from making use of the filthiest methods of his profession.

Saroyanland is a docu-drama focusing on the journey of famous writer William Saroyan to the birthplace of his Armenian family Bitlis, in Turkey in 1964. While retaking the same road, the film aims to understand Saroyan's unique attitude to belonging, witnessing the self-discovery of a man who followed the traces of his Armenian ancestors.

Üftade has long been the object of men’s fury. Her only hope is to marry the young man she is in love with and escape her traumatic life in the home of her abusive stepfather. However, when her lover suddenly leaves her, Üftade's despair increases exponentially, and she begins to lose her mental balance due to the traumas of her childhood. Throughout the years, her suffering is witnessed by her nephew, who feels helpless to do anything about her condition.

Ayse who lost her husband and child during the occupation of Izmir by Greek Army in 1919 goes to Istanbul to attend demonstrations which are arranged against the occupation of Anatolia. And then she passes to Anatolia to be a nurse and meets with Ihsan there. At that time Turkish War of Independence starts and they participate to this battle together.

Keramettin Mirzani's lawyer, Mahmut Ceyyah, comes to Istanbul and tells Lawyer Zeki to inform the heirs. One of the heirs is named Gülsüm Bacılar. However, Gülsüm Bacılar, who lived in the village, passed away years ago. Gülsüm Bacılar's four daughters and one son-in-law come to Istanbul to collect their share of the money. Another heir, Memduh Bey, agrees with Lawyer Zeki to also take Gülsüm Bacılar's share. Osman, the fiancé of Sümbül, one of Gülsüm Bacılar's daughters, will understand the situation, and the truth will come to light.

Gül is a beautiful girl who lives with her mother by making carpets in Isparta. When her mother dies, she becomes derelict and decides to go to Istanbul. She is envied for her beauty and is attacked wherever she goes.

Because of the huge heritage, some attempt to kill an innocent baby. Involved in the plot, Ayşe (Hülya Asan) flees with the child for safety and her path crosses that of a young man (Ahmet Mekin)...

Recai has raised his daughter Seref like a man. She secretly attends the meetings of the patriots. Seref and her cousin Mujgan take music lessons from the journalist Feyyaz. Seref and Feyyaz fall in love but Mujgan is in love with Feyyaz as well. Feyyaz gets arrested in an assassination attempt against the Sultan.

During the period of the Wealth Tax, where many non-Muslims in Turkey were forced to pay higher taxes, often in an arbitrary and unrealistic way. Nimet and Durmuş migrate from Niğde to Istanbul and take shelter with Durmuş's friend Bekir, who finds Durmuş a job at the inn. However, making a living by serving as a porter is not in line with Durmuş's ambitions. He wants everything Halit Bey has, the inn owner. Halit Bey begins to dispose of his property in order to pay the tax stipulated to his beloved wife Nora, who was treated in a nursing home. Wealth Tax has begun to affect everyone's destiny.

American Dexter travels to Turkey on behalf of a US client in order to put an end to the drug gang leader Ismail. Dexter brings the beautiful blonde Janet as an erotic bait. Ismail shows great interest in Janet, but Dexter suspects he has been double crossed by his American client.

Yakup, a Turkish music teacher seeking political asylum in New York, is trying to keep his head above water as he navigates the US immigration system. Working illegally in a restaurant kitchen with a lively group of fellow immigrants, he is laser focused on laying the groundwork to bring his wife and daughter abroad. In a desperate attempt to expedite the process, he seeks help from a group of shady fellow countrymen who resort to risky methods to get people out of Turkey. But things quickly go sideways and chances to reunite with his loved ones deteriorate by the minute.

A family is still facing horrific scenes after the death of their little girl, who was possessed by devil.

Fikret returns to Istanbul to tangle with Somali pirates and sojourns in a Budhist monastery to battle a werewolf.

Eda and Cenk are a young couple who met and married during their college years. Their happiness is sealed when Eda learns she is expecting a baby. However, as her pregnancy progresses, Eda begins to experience unusual events. A soul stuck between heaven and hell has returned to earth to seek revenge. As Eda struggles to awaken from this relentless nightmare, an unprecedented horror will engulf the young couple.

“The Pomegranate” tells the story of a woman; seeking her own justice. “The Pomegranate” questions the justice of four people with different beliefs in a house, in half a day and in their own realms of faith. Asuman is a fortune-teller with uncanny psychic powers who lives in the suburbs of Istanbul but tells fortunes of the rich at their own luxurious places.

Tarık is a businessman who puts his work above everything else. Aynur, who started working as a secretary, catches Tarık's attention with her hard work. Over time, Aynur wins Tarık and his family's affection by resolving their problems. Tarık, who is in love with Aynur, cannot confess his feelings due to his pride. Following an incident, Aynur resigns. Tarık's son Teoman and his father Cemalettin Bey react to Aynur's resignation. The game Cemalettin Bey plays will drive Tarık mad.

The paths of Resul, a blind sculptor who served time for murder; Kader, a famous actress; Fazıl Bir, a deranged director who turned into a human bomb in order to force Kader to star in his film; Güngör, a hard-working classical musician; and Muhtar, Güngör's incompetent manager who caused him to become a loser, intersect at a French restaurant called Le Chic , and within 15 minutes, a series of extraordinary events unfold and come to a head.

Eleven-year-old Yekta lives in a crumbling island mansion with her strict aunts and ailing grandfather, yearning for her absent mother. As dreams and surreal visions shape her solitude, she sets out in search of a mythical seagull with a child’s head.

Lena and Meryem during their escape from the war in Syria. Lena is a ten-year-old girl who has lost her family in the war. She finds herself forced to make her way to Turkey with her baby sister and their neighbor Meryem, along with the other refugees. Lena wants to return home, while Meryem’s hope is to reach Europe.

Cazibe is a woman in her late thirties, who has never got married or had a relationship with a man in her life. She lives with her old mother and her uncle who feels an attraction towards her. The lonely woman, whose only existence is her small room, spends all her time in this old room, dreaming and fantasising about her ex-lover.

Cihangir and Hakan are brothers who earn their living by running a snack bar in their father's shop. One of their regular customers is a courier transporting illegal proceeds. The brothers' lives completely transformes when he dies in the snack bar's back storage area.

Orhan is a poor young fisherman who makes a living as a sponge diver. The film centers on his impossible but passionate love story with Gülşen, the daughter of a wealthy businessman he meets on vacation.

The story of the war, which is the beginning of the history of Turks in Anatolia.

Metin, the son of factory owner Keramet Bey, attends a private college. Since his father is one of the founders of the college, he behaves as he pleases. The school principal tries to discipline Metin and his friends, but he can't seem to succeed. As a result, the teachers quickly quit their jobs. The new teacher, Hülya, also argues with Metin on her first day. This incident will bring Metin and Hülya closer together.

In the early days of the September 12 military coup, five-year-old Metin waits for his mother, singing to himself as he looks out the window. But his mother, Ayten, has been arrested and sent to prison. Since the child is alone at home, they take him to his mother in her cell, but despite all her jokes and games, Metin is aware of what is happening. The next day, Metin's grandfather Hüseyin Efe, who lives on Bozcaada, comes to take him, and Metin's days of freedom on the island begin. His friends exclude him because of the "communist" label his mother has been given. Yet Metin cannot even properly say the word "communist." Metin, affected by the exclusion, has another concern: his father’s photo is also on the “Wanted” posters hanging all over the island.

Bayram and Gül live a modest life with their son Ali in a quiet village in Anatolia. Everything changes when strange, unexplained events begin to occur in their home. While Bayram and Gül seek help from religious scholars to unravel the mystery, Ali, a young man who uses science as a guide and acts logically, denies what is happening. However, the situation soon spirals out of control. The darkness in the house begins to directly target Ali. His psychology begins to crumble, and his perception of reality is shaken.

There is a tense love between Gelincik and Ali, who grow up together. Ali, who can't stand the coming and going of Gelincik, is about to leave the cergi, and he falls into prison because of Gelincik's slander.

One day waves bring a wooden statue of Lenin to a small town by the Black Sea. The statue is erected in the town square by the Municipality with the hope that it would attract tourists to the town. As an official opening ceremony is planned with the participation of the Prime Minister and a Russian delegation, the statue gets stolen. Two police investigators from Ankara are assigned to find Lenin in twelve hours. Townspeople give an unexpected answer to the question «Where is Lenin?».

Mehmet, a violinist who became disabled after a traffic accident, is left alone and helpless after his mother's death. Mehmet, who builds a new life with Seher, a mentally disabled woman who moves in with him, is confronted by the neighborhood's malicious hooligans. The hooligans harass Seher, causing her death. Driven by the pain of Seher's death, Mehmet swears revenge and confronts the thugs one by one, despite his disability.

The film tells the story of Selma's confrontation with reality. Selma and Kemal are a happily married couple. Kemal leaves town for a business meeting. During this time, a mysterious phone call comes in. Ceyda, who is dying in the hospital, has one last wish: to see Kemal. Ceyda's friend Sevda makes some allegations about Kemal to Selma, who has come to the hospital in place of her husband. Determined to uncover the truth, Selma begins to investigate Kemal's past. She will encounter things she never expected.

Produced, written and directed by Yılmaz Güney within his own personal experiences of capital offense, he dedicates Duvar to male teenagers aged 13 to 19 living behind the bars under diabolical treatments. These teenagers get barbaric corporal punishments, injurious harrows, tortures and sexual abuses just for taking the responsibility of their destiny on a wrong turn.

The film tells the story of a life-and-death struggle between two brothers who grew up apart. Kemal, whose parents separated years ago, grew up with his mother. He is a tough young man. For years, he is plagued by trouble and spends a long time in prison. When he is released, his son, whom he has never seen, has grown up. But the child is sick. The mafia, seeking to eliminate Commissioner Murat, who has disrupted the established order of the criminal underworld, approaches Kemal. However, he is determined to leave his troubled past behind. That is, until he needs a substantial amount of money for his son's heart surgery.

The film depicts Namık Kemal's love for his country. The newspaper İbret, published by Namık Kemal and his friends, is shut down on the grounds that it incites the people to rebellion. Namık Kemal and his friends are sent into exile. On the ship they board to go into exile, Namık Kemal tells his friends about his play titled "Vatan" (Homeland). The play tells the story of Islam and Zekiye, who are in love with each other, and their struggle for their homeland. Islam forms a volunteer regiment to go to war. Zekiye joins the volunteers in male disguise, both to be close to Islam and to serve the homeland. Love for the homeland will bring Islam and Zekiye closer together.

A frigid young housewife cannot reconcile her sado-masochistic imagination with her daily life with her submissive husband. While he is at work, she starts working in the afternoons at a local, first-class brothel.

Nihat, an introverted employee in a hospital cafeteria, is confused by Ayşe, a mysterious woman who just started working there as a dishwasher. Her obvious seductive approaches embarrass Nihat and make him nervous at the same time. Despite the rumors about her husband having been sentenced to many years in jail, Nihat reluctantly accepts Ayşe’s invitation to dinner at her house. This is the beginning of a strange and dangerous liaison. When Nihat discovers a picture of the woman’s husband and realizes that he looks astoundingly like him, the relation becomes even more toxic.

Lazy, uneducated students mostly coming from money, share a very close band. They live together in the dormitory of this private highschool, where they daily plan their latest pranks on teachers or the other classes. When one of the students get his girlfriend pregnant, the whole class acts together to help him. The mother has to leave the baby for a while with the father, and this leads to a series of funny events.

Tells the funny events that is experienced 30 years later by a group that became friends in high school in the 1990s.

The lovely Ayşe moves from her country village to Istanbul in the hope of becoming an actress. One day she meets Haşmet, a grumpy, world-weary street photographer. He takes it upon himself to cure Ayşe of what he sees as her blind optimism, but some of it begins to rub off on the old cynic.

What happens, when an ordinary family in one of the arguably most advanced cities in the world starts living in two different worlds? What happens, when that fine line between reality and fantasy begins to blur, when a computer game controls the space you live in, re-defines your real life? When a gigantic, green iguana is the only one that can see, how the people around it slowly lose themselves between these different worlds?

The seven old friends decide to come together for dinner. Everyone is seated at the table, chatting, eating laughing accompaniment. During the meal, it is decided to play a game. The game is pretty simple; everyone will put their phones on the desk, every incoming message and notification will be read aloud. Their relationship begins to deteriorate. The group who thinks they are very close friends for so long are in fact alien to each other.

On the border of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Greek village of Limya lies the frontier hamlet of Akıncılar, where the call to prayer mingles with church bells and Turkish music blends with Greek melodies, and people from Diyarbakır and Cyprus live side by side. In this village there are three children, each thirteen years old, bound together by fate and traveling a shared path. Their story unfolds amid a ritual that becomes ever more tangled: the drama of “child brides.”

Cuma is a repairman at a university hospital. One day, his clumsiness causes damage to the hospital's electrical system. Trying to fix his mistake, he causes a series of chaos. Looking for a way out of this chaos, Cuma tries to convince people that paranormal events are taking place in the town.