This chapter analyzes the transformation of political films in Turkey from the 1960s to the late 2010s. With the repression of labor movements after the 1980 military coup and parallel to neoliberal developments around the world, political cinema in Turkey changed dramatically. Earlier films, though in limited numbers, displayed overt political Marxist messages and, similar to radical political film movements of the time, aimed to move the audience to take action against exploitation. In comparison, in the absence of organized movements and under an oppressive political environment for a large part of the four decades since the 1980 military coup, more contemporary films have been political by displaying the lack of solidarity and struggle against that oppression. Accordingly, films with direct political messages aiming to move audiences to action are replaced with those exposing the shortcomings of the system with their portrayal of individuals squeezed in an existentialist impasse. As such, films, even the rare ones that aim to address contemporary sociopolitical issues, are now focused on the state of inability to express one’s self or criticize. The chapter focuses on films of Yılmaz Güney, the most prominent Turkish filmmaker, writings of Young Cinema members in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and films of Nuri Bilge Ceylan, a leading figure in contemporary Turkish cinema, with a particular focus on Ahlat Ağacı (2018) to analyze the evolution of political filmmaking in Turkey.
Siegfried Kracauer, is one of the first theorists who approached cinema from a sociological perspective. In his book From Caligari to Hitler (1947, 2011a), he examined the cinema of the Weimar period and stated that symbols of fascist tendencies can be seen in films before Hitler came to power. Expressing that cinema should reflect society realistically, Kracauer states that physical reality can be captured in cinema with a 'found story'. Although the found story is a functional form in capturing reality in cinema, it is not sufficient by itself to reflect the reality of society. People on Sunday (1930, R. Siodmak, E. Ulmer), which portrays the daily lives of ordinary people, is in a unique place in terms of shooting conditions, the bridge it builds between documentary and fiction in Weimar cinema era. And also structure of found story can be seen in film. At the same time, it allows for a critical reading as it is a product of the cinema of the Weimar period, which Kracauer criticizes in his book From Caligari to Hitler (2011a). In this article, in order to examine the found story structure and Kracauer's understanding of realistic cinema in the context of the relationship between cinema and society, the film People on Sunday will be analyzed with the sociological method. As a result, although the film overlaps with the found story structure, it has been seen that it is not sufficient on its own to reflect the period and society.
Lukas Moodysson is one of the leading directors in contemporary Swedih cinema. He shot his first feature film in 1998 and his last film in 2013. Totally he has eight films. He is also scriptwriter in his all films and sometimes also the pruucer. He made films which influences from his own society, thmes he experienced and themes he cared. Minimalist style, natural acting are seen in the films of the director. He has created a unique style that frequently includes child actors, focuses on human relations in his own society, and deals with growing pains and social problems. Director’s most important film is Lilya 4-ever(2002). The importance of this film is because of its harsh criticism about both Swedish society and Europe in general about human trafficking and forcing young girls into prostitution. In this study, the film will examine the appearance of the welfare society and the effect of the film on society with the sociological analysis method. As a result, the social criticism of the film led the Swedish authorities to take action within the framework of the problem, and showed the power of cinema on society.
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