Course Information
SemesterCourse Unit CodeCourse Unit TitleT+P+LCreditNumber of ECTS CreditsLast Updated Date
7RTS402Contemporary Turkish Cinema2+1+02318.10.2026
Course Details
Language of Instruction Turkish
Level of Course Unit Bachelor's Degree
Department / Program Radio, Television and Cinema
Type of Program Formal Education
Type of Course Unit Compulsory
Course Delivery Method Face To Face
Objectives of the Course The course aims to enable students to understand the historical, social and cultural development of contemporary Turkish cinema and to analyze examples of popular and independent cinema in terms of narrative, visual style and representation. It also aims to develop students’ ability to evaluate industrial and technological transformations affecting film production, distribution and exhibition.
Course Content The course covers the transformation of Turkish cinema after 1980, new cinematic approaches emerging in the 1990s and developments since 2000. Popular, independent and auteur cinema are examined through narrative structure, visual style and representations of urban and provincial spaces, migration, identity, gender and family. Documentaries and short films, film festivals, funding mechanisms, international circulation, digital platforms and changing viewing experiences are explored through selected film examples.
Course Methods and Techniques Anlatım, film gösterimi ve çözümlemesi, karşılaştırmalı inceleme, tartışma ve sunum.
Prerequisites and co-requisities None
Course Coordinator None
Name of Lecturers Associate Prof.Dr. Buket AKDEMİR DİLEK
Assistants None
Work Placement(s) No

Recommended or Required Reading
Resources Suner, A. (2006). Haunted house: Belonging, identity and memory in new Turkish cinema. Metis Yayınları.
Atam, Z. (2011). A close-up of new cinema in Turkey. Cadde Yayınları.
Özsoy, A., & Diken Yücel, D. (Eds.). (2022). Recent Turkish cinema through its popular themes. Nobel Akademik Yayıncılık.
Özgür, Ö. (Ed.). (2021). New discourses on Turkish cinema: Contemporary representations, analyses and genres. Palet Yayınları.
Yılmazkol, Ö. (Ed.). (2011). A critical look at Turkish cinema after 2000. Okur Kitaplığı.
Exams 1 Ara Sınav - 1 Final Sınavı

Course Category
Social Sciences %100
Field %100

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods
Activities are given in detail in the section of "Assessment Methods and Criteria" and "Workload Calculation"

Assessment Methods and Criteria
In-Term Studies Quantity Percentage
Mid-terms 1 % 40
Final examination 1 % 60
Total
2
% 100

 
ECTS Allocated Based on Student Workload
Activities Quantity Duration Total Work Load
Course Duration 14 3 42
Hours for off-the-c.r.stud 14 3 42
Mid-terms 1 1 1
Final examination 1 1 1
Total Work Load   Number of ECTS Credits 3 86

 
Course Learning Outcomes: Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
NoLearning Outcomes
1 Can explain the historical development of contemporary Turkish cinema and its transformations after 1980 within their social and cultural context.
2 Can compare examples of popular and independent cinema in terms of narrative structure, visual style and modes of production.
3 Can analyze representations of space, identity, migration, gender and family in contemporary Turkish films.
4 Can evaluate the effects of film festivals, funding mechanisms and digital platforms on the production, distribution and exhibition processes of Turkish cinema.

 
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
WeekTopicsStudy MaterialsMaterials
1 Course introduction; scope and basic concepts of contemporary Turkish cinema Research on the course. Course Resources
2 Social transformation in Türkiye after 1980 and cinema Readings on the social and cultural context of Turkish cinema after 1980. Course Resources
3 Transformation in Turkish cinema in the 1990s and new approaches to cinema Research on changes in Turkish cinema during the 1990s. Course Resources
4 Production, distribution and exhibition in Turkish cinema after 2000 Review of basic concepts of film production, distribution and exhibition. Course Resources
5 Popular Turkish cinema; genres, the star system and audiences Viewing examples of popular Turkish films and evaluating their genre characteristics. Course Resources
6 Independent cinema and auteur cinema Readings on independent cinema and auteur cinema. Course Resources
7 Narrative structure and visual style in contemporary Turkish cinema Analysis of the narrative, cinematography, sound and editing of a selected film. Course Resources
8 Midterm Exam Preparation for the Midterm Exam Course Resources
9 Representations of the city, the provinces and space in Turkish cinema Viewing films that explore urban and provincial themes. Course Resources
10 Migration, belonging and identity in Turkish cinema Readings on migration, belonging and identity, and analysis of film examples. Course Resources
11 Representations of gender and family in Turkish cinema Analysis of characters and family relationships in selected films. Course Resources
12 Documentary and short film in contemporary Turkish cinema Viewing selected documentaries and short films. Course Resources
13 Film festivals, funding mechanisms and the international circulation of Turkish cinema Research on the role of film festivals and funding mechanisms in Turkish cinema. Course Resources
14 Digitalization, digital platforms and the changing viewing experience Readings on the effects of digital platforms on film production and viewing habits. Course Resources
15 Comparative film analysis and general review Preparation for the Final Assignment Course Resources

 
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10 P11 P12 P13 P14 P15
C1 5 1 3 2 5 4 2 5 2 1 1 2 1 1 4
C2 4 2 5 1 4 4 2 3 3 2 2 3 1 1 4
C3 4 1 4 1 5 4 3 5 3 1 1 3 1 1 5
C4 4 1 4 3 5 4 2 4 2 1 1 3 1 1 5

  Contribution: 1: Very Slight 2:Slight 3:Moderate 4:Significant 5:Very Significant