Turkey’s Oscar journey began with Dry Summer in 1963. More than 60 years later, we look back at the Turkish films that represented the country at the Academy Awards.
From the Golden Bear to the Palme d’Or, many Turkish films that made their mark on the international festival circuit have embarked on an Oscar journey over the years: Dry Summer, Don’t Let Them Shoot the Kite, Three Monkeys, About Dry Grasses…
So why has no Turkish film ever secured an official Oscar nomination? There are many open-ended questions surrounding the issue. In an article published by AP News last year, the Academy’s Best International Feature Film category was criticized as frequently being unfair because of the rule allowing each country to submit only one film, as well as the potential involvement of governments in the selection process. There is another point, however, that raises questions. Over the years, criticism also emerged over the fact that Academy members were not required to watch every film under consideration. In 2025, the Academy made it mandatory for members to watch all the films in a category before voting in it. Naturally, the development prompted one obvious question: “Wasn’t watching them mandatory before?”
All these debates aside, the Turkish films submitted for Oscar consideration also offer a brief journey through more than 60 years of Turkish cinema. Beginning with Dry Summer, let us take a closer look at some of the unforgettable films that have represented Turkey along the way.
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Dry Summer (1963)
IMDb: 7.0
Turkey made its first submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film in 1963 with Metin Erksan’s Dry Summer, which went on to win the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. Directed by Erksan, the film also marked Hülya Koçyiğit’s screen debut. Adapted from a work by Necati Cumalı, the story is also set to be adapted into a television series by Ay Yapım this year.
Don’t Let Them Shoot the Kite (1989)
IMDb: 8.2
Directed by Tunç Başaran, Don’t Let Them Shoot the Kite follows five-year-old Barış, who was born in prison and dreams of freedom as he gazes at the sky. The film was adapted from a work by Feride Çiçekoğlu, who herself spent time in prison following the 1980 military coup. Nur Sürer leads the cast, while Ozan Bilen delivers one of the most memorable child performances of the era as Barış.
Piano Piano Kid (1991)
IMDb: 7.7
Another classic by Tunç Başaran is Piano Piano Kid. Adapted from journalist and writer Kemal Demirel’s novel of the same name, the film stars actors including Rutkay Aziz and Meral Çetinkaya. Set in a neighborhood in the late 1940s, it explores the modernization dreams of the first generation of the Turkish Republic in the background. The Italian expression “piano piano” means “slowly, slowly.”
The Bandit (1996)
IMDb: 8.1
“Don’t be afraid, you will only return to the earth. Then you will become earth. Then, with the water, you will travel into the body of a flower. From there, you will reach its essence. A bee will land on the heart of that flower. Perhaps that bee will be me…”
This unforgettable line from Yavuz Turgul’s The Bandit, which brought together master actors Şener Şen and Uğur Yücel, remains one of the film’s most affecting moments. Released in 1996, the film is widely considered one of the masterpieces that helped revive Turkish cinema. It received the Bogey Award in Germany and the Golden Dolphin Award in Portugal.
Lovelorn (2005)
IMDb: 7.7
Another of Yavuz Turgul’s masterpieces is Lovelorn, starring Şener Şen, Meltem Cumbul and Timuçin Esen. A man who sacrificed his life and family for his ideals, children carrying emotional wounds, and a husband caught between love and anger… The film allows us to see this world through the eyes of each of its characters. Lovelorn also stands out for its remarkable ensemble cast, which includes Güven Kıraç, Devin Özgün Çınar, Erdal Tosun, Sümer Tilmaç, Tansu Biçer and Serkan Keskin.
Ice Cream, I Scream (2006)
IMDb: 6.6
At first glance, Ice Cream, I Scream may seem like the story of a small-town ice cream vendor struggling to compete with major brands. In fact, it is a film about change and resistance, capturing the warmth of the Aegean region and maintaining an effortless sense of naturalism throughout. Directed by Yüksel Aksu, the film stars Turan Özdemir, İsmet Can Suda and Gülnihal Demir. In addition to Special Jury Prizes at the Istanbul and Golden Boll film festivals, it won the Grand Prize at the HBO International Comedy Film Festival in the United States and received various awards at the Queens and New York/Mediterranean film festivals. The international title Ice Cream, I Scream is also the title used by IMDb.
Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (2011)
IMDb: 7.8
Darkness, the Anatolian steppe, a corpse and three men who cannot quite decide what to do next. Starring Muhammet Uzuner, Yılmaz Erdoğan and Taner Birsel, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia is widely regarded as one of the defining works of Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s cinema. Ahmet Mümtaz Taylan, Ercan Kesal and Fırat Tanış are equally difficult to overlook. The film won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and received numerous other festival awards. Its critical reputation was just as strong: The Guardian ranked it 38th on its list of the 100 best films of the 21st century, while it placed 54th on the BBC’s list.
The Butterfly’s Dream (2013)
IMDb: 7.6
Directed by Yılmaz Erdoğan, The Butterfly’s Dream tells the story of Turkish poets Rüştü Onur and Muzaffer Tayyip Uslu, who lived in Zonguldak during the Second World War and died young from tuberculosis. Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ and Mert Fırat play the two young poets who devote their lives to poetry, guided along the way by one of the era’s celebrated literary figures, Behçet Necatigil.
Ayla: The Daughter of War (2017)
IMDb: 8.2
One of the most talked-about Turkish films of the year it was released, Can Ulkay’s Ayla: The Daughter of War stars Çetin Tekindor, İsmail Hacıoğlu and Lee Kyung-jin. The film is based on the true story of non-commissioned officer Süleyman Dilbirliği, who took in a young girl who had lost her family during the Korean War in 1950. The film also made a major impact at the Turkish box office.
Although Dilbirliği wanted to bring his adopted daughter back to Turkey after the war, he was unable to do so and was forced to leave her behind. Sixty years later, the two were reunited at Ankara Park in Seoul. Dilbirliği died in 2017, the same year the film was released, while Ayla, whose real name was Kim Eun-ja, passed away last year. Ayla: The Daughter of War is the film’s international English title.
The Wild Pear Tree (2018)
IMDb: 8.0
Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s The Wild Pear Tree is another film Turkey submitted to the Academy. Starring Doğu Demirkol, Murat Cemcir and Bennu Yıldırımlar, it follows Sinan, an aspiring writer who returns to his hometown after graduating from university. Moving through the suffocating atmosphere of provincial life, a father-son conflict, loneliness and despair, the film charts a gradual shift in Sinan, who initially looks down on both his father and the people around him. The dramatic performances of Demirkol and Cemcir, both better known for comedy, were also widely praised.
Miracle in Cell No. 7 (2020)
IMDb: 8.2
Directed by Mehmet Ada Öztekin, Miracle in Cell No. 7 stars Aras Bulut İynemli, Nisa Sofia Aksungur, İlker Aksum and Celile Toyon. Set in a small Aegean town during the years of military rule, the story centers on Memo, a shepherd with an intellectual disability who lives a quiet life with his young daughter and grandmother. The most-watched film in Turkey during the year of its release, Miracle in Cell No. 7 was adapted from the South Korean film of the same name.
Life (2023)
IMDb: 7.1
Directed by Zeki Demirkubuz, Life was selected as Turkey’s submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 97th Academy Awards. The film tells the story of Hicran, who runs away from home after being forced into an engagement by her father, and Rıza, who sets out to find her. Miray Daner, Burak Dakak and Cem Davran lead the cast. Life was named Best Film at the 28th Nuremberg International Human Rights Film Festival, while Zeki Demirkubuz received the Grand Jury Award. The director’s own international page uses Life as the English title.
One of Those Days When Hemme Dies (2025)
IMDb: 6.2
Directed by Murat Fıratoğlu, One of Those Days When Hemme Dies was selected in 2025 as Turkey’s official Oscar submission. The film had its world premiere in the Orizzonti section of the 81st Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Special Jury Prize. It subsequently received the Best Film Award at the 31st Adana Golden Boll Film Festival. One of Those Days When Hemme Dies is the film’s official international English title.
Like a Limbless Tree (2025)
At the 99th Academy Awards, scheduled to take place on March 14, 2027, Turkey will be represented by Tunç Davut’s TRT co-production Like a Limbless Tree. The film had its world premiere last year at the 62nd Antalya Film Festival.
The story follows Refik, a 70-year-old retired civil engineer who tries to help his Syrian caregiver, Nesrin. After Nesrin disappears, leaving her two children in Refik’s care, his life begins to change. The cast includes Ali İpin, Feyyaz Duman and Selen Kurtaran. The shortlist for the Academy Awards’ Best International Feature Film category will be announced on December 15, followed by the final nominations on January 21, 2027. Like a Limbless Tree is the English title used by the Antalya Film Festival and other festival programs.
Other Turkish Films Submitted for Oscar Consideration
- The Blue Exile (1993)
IMDb: 6.0 - The Tarzan of Manisa (1994)
IMDb: 5.8 - Mrs. Salkım’s Diamonds (1999)
IMDb: 6.6 - A Run for Money (1999)
IMDb: 7.5 - Big Man, Little Love (2001)
IMDb: 7.6 - 9 (2002)
IMDb: 7.6 - Distant (2002)
IMDb: 7.5 - Takva: A Man’s Fear of God (2006)
IMDb: 7.4 - Three Monkeys (2008)
IMDb: 7.3 - I Saw the Sun (2009)
IMDb: 6.6 - Honey (2010)
IMDb: 7.1 - Where the Fire Burns (2012)
IMDb: 6.3 - Winter Sleep (2014)
IMDb: 8.0 - Sivas (2014)
IMDb: 7.2 - Cold of Kalandar (2015)
IMDb: 7.5 - Commitment Aslı (2019)
IMDb: 5.4 - Commitment Hasan (2021)
IMDb: 6.6 - Kerr (2022)
IMDb: 5.9 - About Dry Grasses (2023)
IMDb: 7.7
Unforgettable Turkish Movies You Can Watch on MUBI
