Yurt

The story takes place in 1996 in Turkey, but the film is also a reflection on Turkey today, a very divided country, although the power dynamics has changed a lot.

The film fits many categories: a family drama, a story of class and religious struggle, a love story, and maybe most importantly a coming of age story.

The director was probably influenced by many films, one of them may have been Truffaut's 400 blows.

The relationship between Ahmet and Hakan is complex, beautiful and tormented. Contemporary films from Turkey are not afraid of addressing queer feelings and homophobia (Not knowing, Burning Days, and Black Night -Karanlik Gece-), and Yurt is a powerful contribution to this praise of sexual freedom.

The actors give an impressive performance and the photography is stunning. A real treat!

I LOVE THIS!

An absolute feast of cinematic delights... From breathtaking cinematography to richly textured screenplay... This is a very very special film.

There's no point in telling the synopsis... The director, Nehir Tuna, uses the 'show, not tell' strategy to present this unique coming-of-age story... A wealthy teenage boy in 1996 Turkey parallelly attending a private school for rich kids and a religious school for poor kids where he also lives in a dormitory or Yurt... It is filled with countless fleeting moments of quiet observations and subtle commentaries on power, politics, love, rage, religion, obsession, friendship, class difference, income inequality, maturity and much more... which makes this film so Effective and Unforgettable.

Can't wait to watch more films from this director. Top-notch craftsmanship.

Yurt is truly an impressive and thought-provoking piece. It masterfully narrates a child's struggle to find themselves within the constraints imposed by society. Nehir Tuna's direction, atmosphere, and storytelling are highly successful.

In particular, the scenes reflecting Ahmet's inner world deeply affected me. On one hand, he is caught between his father's and society's expectations, and on the other, he begins to question the rules after meeting a freer character like Hakan. This internal conflict is portrayed very realistically. The anxiety, helplessness, and curiosity in Ahmet's eyes were palpable in every scene.

The film's way of depicting the environment of the dormitory, the pressure, and how individuality is disregarded was quite striking. The dark and oppressive tones perfectly matched the story's atmosphere. In some scenes, I truly felt as if I were inside that environment.

Additionally, the film subtly weaves in elements of the political atmosphere of the era. Details like Sevinç's use of the word "Aczmendi" remind viewers of 1990s Turkey and its conservative structure. These elements are integrated into the narrative in a natural flow, without being overly blatant.

While watching this film, I couldn't help but put myself in Ahmet's shoes. His internal conflict, the obligation to conform, and the burgeoning desire for freedom all felt incredibly familiar to me.

Ahmet's growth in an environment trying to box him in-caught between the desire to belong and the need to be free-reminded me exactly of my own experiences. That silence, the waiting to be understood without saying anything, questioning whether he is doing the "right" thing with every move he makes...

I was reminded that courage is contagious, but it also comes with a cost. In the final scenes, Ahmet's eyes perhaps showed for the first time that he truly understood things. At that moment, Ahmet was no longer present; I was.

Hakan's fate and Ahmet's inner journey seem to be left for the audience's interpretation. For some, this might appear as an unresolved ending, yet I believe it makes the message the film aims to convey even stronger.

In conclusion, Yurt is not just a coming-of-age story, but a film that questions the impact of society on the individual. It is definitely one of those productions that should be watched.

It was a very brave work, especially the cult scenes are very realistic. Some of the acting looks amateur and the story sags in some places. He tried to reassure the children in the dormitories. The similarity between national rituals in schools and religious rituals in sects tells a lot about our Turkish society.

If you only knew how sorry I feel for our children who experienced this and similar things. Unfortunately, things like this can still happen. Children who are sent to such dormitories for a purpose without even consulting their children may face many psychological problems throughout their lives. They always filter the events they experience through a religious filter and forget who they are. They lose their own character because they constantly shape their perspectives according to the moral values imposed on them. As someone who has many friends around him, like our main character Ahmet, and who has talked to people who have experienced such things many times, I was amazed. The director touched on the sensitive points so correctly that I felt like I had experienced these things. An incredible expression, so emotional. In my opinion, every viewer can find something from themselves in this movie... Congrats all the actors, especially precious director Nehir Tuna.