The Turkish film industry has been thriving within its bubble for long enough. Its vibrant approach to art has remained regionally famous for years. To this day, the industry also called the Türk sineması has been delivering gifted pieces to its loyal audience.
According to sources, the industry is heavily celebrated within Turkey itself. Alongside, it has also gained a respectful identity in the hearts of European and Arab viewers. Thanks to the increased accessibility to the regional cinema with the help of popular streamers like Netflix. With its gates wide open, the rest of the world has been gifted the opportunity to enjoy a different perspective on the art of cinema.
Turkish cinema culture has been expanding vividly. The national film scene is exploding, and the country is quickly becoming Hollywood’s new favourite shooting spot. Especially the breathtaking city of Istanbul. One of the many reasons for this occurrence is due to the country’s presence of rich culture. Turkey often popularly called ‘the cradle of civilisation’ has sheltered and been a home to various civilizations. That resulted in cultural footprints being spread across the landscape. Which now provides a palatable variety of shooting locations.
Along with its multicultural atmosphere, there have been very gifted auteurs who have produced some brilliant stories over the years. In this article, Best of Netflix is going to compile a short list of the five best Turkish films on the streamer now. Tune in to know more now!
The five best Turkish films to watch on Netflix:
5. My Mother’s Wound (2016)
Possibly one of the most unique takes on a relationship between a mother and child. This film was directed by Ozan Açıktan. Revolving around the story of Salih (Bora Akkaş), a young adult at 18 who just left the orphanage, he spent his life looking for his family. He ends up in a war-torn Serbia and eventually learns more about his parents.
Alongside, he finds a job on a farm, and weirdly enough, things start looking up. He finds what he was looking for. In spite of learning about his existence, and the brutality that met his mother, he continues. He finds a sense of belonging, what he was truly looking for. The movie My Mother’s Wound is currently streaming on Netflix. Watch the trailer for it here!
4. Only You (2014)
Only You or Sadece Sen is a remake based on a 2011 South Korean cinema called Always. The story is simple and dedicated to the feeling of love. Directed by Hakan Yonat, the film revolves around two protagonists. A retired boxer called Ali (İbrahim Çelikkol) and a woman who had some vision problems called Hazal (Belçim Bilgin).
The two happen to move in together and, soon after, find something they both weren’t looking for. Falling in love for what it’s worth and truly worth. Only You will keep you warm and make you feel cosy as you find yourself slipping deeper into the duvet with the onset of winter. Give this beautiful and generous movie a shot today! Watch the trailer for it here!
3. The Butterfly’s Dream (2013)
Kelebeğin Rüyası, or The Butterfly’s Dream, is as poetic as the name suggests. The story follows the lives of two poets suffering from tuberculosis. As the pair try to survive the harsh times of famine-stricken World War II, there is more up for grabs. Both poets find themselves incredibly in love with the same woman called Suzan.
And like any other love triangle, the two interested parties find themselves in a battle to win over Suzan. However, they choose their best weapon, poetry instead of power and violence. The film follows the fight of poetry to win the affection of their beloved. Quite an interesting plot, with an even more brilliant and talented cast. The movie The Butterfly’s Dream is currently streaming on Netflix. Give the trailer a shot now!
2. Sour Apples (2016)
Don’t we all love some good period dramas with a couple of headstrong and strong-willed women? The trajectory of the plot follows something similar. Based in a more eastern Turkish town, the plot follows the journey of several suitors as they bid to reach the mayor.
The Mayor is a father of three strong women who are bent on taking on the world in their own path. Although the three self-determined women try to follow their own path, the suitors have something else in mind. Curious to know more? Give this movie a watch to find out all about the kind of problems that the family meets with as the suitors turn up at their doors. Watch the trailer for it here!
1. 7 Kogustaki Mucize (2019)
Director Mehmet Ada Öztekin uses Lee Hwan-Kyung’s story to narrate the life of a small-town shepherd called Memo (Aras Bulut İynemli). Amidst martial law, Memo finds himself to be wrongly convicted of murder. He got framed so bad that he gets the death penalty for crimes he didn’t commit. However, things change for him in prison.
Granting the stirring irony, inmates at the prison Memo found himself in saw through him. They help him try to save his own life amidst all the chaos. Alongside, they strive to make the alienated and wrongly convicted father reunite with his daughter Ova. Definitely my first choice of the lot. You simply cannot miss out on this beautiful film. Check out the trailer for it here. The movie 7 Kogustaki Mucize is currently streaming on Netflix.
