Turkish Cinema at 2025 Global Film Festivals
As we leave the first quarter of the year behind, we take a closer look at Turkish productions and films featuring Turkish artists that have made their mark at prestigious festivals such as Sundance, Berlinale, and IFFR.
SUNDANCE (January 23 – February 2, 2025, USA)
The Things You Kill
Alireza Khatami | Turkey, France, Germany
Starring Hazar Ergüçlü, Ekin Koç, and Erkan Kolçak Köstendil, the film follows Ali, a university professor shaken by the suspicious death of his ailing mother in Turkey. As he navigates his grief, long-suppressed resentment toward his father surfaces, leading him to befriend a mysterious gardener named Reza. Convinced that certain people are responsible for his mother’s death, Ali meticulously plots his revenge, persuading Reza to help execute his plan. However, as long-buried family secrets emerge and the police tighten their grip, Ali is forced to confront his conscience and embark on a journey of self-reflection.
One of the most talked-about films at Sundance, The Things You Kill won the Best Director Award in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition. Following its Sundance premiere, the film continued its festival journey at IFFR and will have its Turkish premiere at the 44th Istanbul Film Festival.
DJ Ahmet
Georgi M. Unkovski | North Macedonia
Fifteen-year-old Ahmet is a quiet, introverted boy growing up in a small Yoruk village in North Macedonia. Seeking refuge in music as an escape from his authoritarian father and the village’s conservative environment, he struggles to balance modern sounds with traditional melodies. However, his passion for music is seen as a threat by his family and the villagers. Ahmet’s fight for his dreams and freedom sets off a chain of unexpected events in the village.
The film won the Audience Award in the World Cinema section of the festival.
BERLINALE (February 13–23, 2025, Germany)
Confidente
Çağla Zencirci & Guillaume Giovanetti | Turkey, France, Luxembourg
Set in Ankara in 1999, the film follows Arzu, a young woman who makes a living working at an erotic call center. As she crafts a fictional persona to comfort strangers each night, she finds herself unexpectedly drawn into a real-life mystery when a man she once spoke to reaches out for help after a devastating earthquake in Istanbul. As she delves deeper, the line between virtual and real relationships begins to blur.
Hysteria
Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay | Germany, Turkey
During a high-budget film production in Berlin, a scene involving the burning of the Quran sparks an immediate crisis, throwing the entire set into chaos. As the search for those responsible intensifies, an intern named Elif discovers the existence of a covert group with hidden motives. Torn between her ethical values and her career aspirations, she soon finds herself entangled in a growing web of danger where no one is as they seem.
As the only Turkish production in the festival’s main selection (Panorama), the film explores a pressing contemporary issue within the Germany-Turkey context.
Yunan
Anastasios Dosis | Canada, Germany, Palestine
A German journalist embarks on a work trip to Greece, where chance encounters lead him to form deep connections with the people he meets. Struggling with an identity crisis and feeling disconnected from his roots, his journey through Greece’s rural landscapes forces him to confront his past. Blending physical and emotional discovery, the film offers a nuanced exploration of belonging and self-reinvention.
The cast features Sibel Kekilli in the role of a shepherd’s enigmatic wife, adding a fairy-tale-like quality to the story.
IFFR – ROTTERDAM INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (January 30 – February 9, 2025, Netherlands)
And the Rest Will Follow
Pelin Esmer | Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania
Aliye, a dreamer who works as a hotel cleaner, spends her days moving between rooms, escaping into the lives of the guests. After a brief encounter with a renowned director named Levent, she begins to believe she has her own story to tell, leading to an intricate interplay between fiction and reality.
The Flying Meatball Maker
Rezan Yeşilbaş | Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania
Kadir, a meatball vendor, dreams of flying. However, his father-in-law and family strongly oppose his obsession. With some unexpected help, he attempts to turn his dream into reality. But as an old saying warns, it’s best not to fly too close to the sun.
Director Rezan Yeşilbaş’s feature debut had its world premiere in IFFR’s Bright Future section.
Seen Unseen: An Anthology of (Auto)Censorship
Altyazı Fasikül Collective | Netherlands, Turkey
A documentary anthology featuring personal and political narratives on various forms of censorship and self-censorship. Through contributions from different directors, the film raises critical questions about freedom of expression while challenging the boundaries of cinema and art.
The Shipwrecked Triptych
Deniz Eroğlu | Germany
Told through an experimental structure spanning three different time periods, the film follows the echoes of a maritime disaster across centuries. Using time and space as layered elements, it offers a philosophical meditation on how human memory is shaped—and lost.
The Things You Kill / Öldürdüğün Şeyler – Alireza Khatami
(See Sundance section for details.)
Additionally, Empire of the Rabbits (Tavşan İmparatorluğu), directed by Seyfettin Tokmak, had its premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, where it won Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography awards.
Nil Birinci
