Yellow Letters

Yellow Letters is an inventive and timely drama by director Ilker Çatak (The Teachers’ Lounge). Although the film is set in Turkey, Berlin (standing in for Ankara) and Hamburg (as Istanbul) provide the backdrop for a story of powerlessness, corruption and state oppression.

The marriage of celebrated actress Derya (Özgü Namal) and director and teacher Aziz (Tansu Biçer) comes under pressure after they lose their jobs due to arbitrary state intervention. They move to Istanbul to live with Aziz’s parents. There, Derya and their 13-year-old daughter must rebuild their lives. Derya receives an attractive offer, while Aziz finds a job. But is there still room for their principles and the freedom to speak their minds?

Yellow Letters won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. By using Germany as a stand-in for Turkey, Çatak shows that (self-)censorship and state control do not stop at the border.