DORMITORY (YURT), 2023

Türkiye, Germany, France | DCP, Color, 118’ | Turkish, English
Director: Nehir Tuna
Cast: Doğa Karakaş, Can Bartu Arslan, Ozan Çelik

Having premiered at the Venice Film Festival, Dormitory is a coming-of-age story with autobiographical elements set in the polarized atmosphere of Türkiye in the 1990s. Forced by his father to live in a dormitory run by a religious sect, 14-year-old Ahmet experiences the dilemma of belonging in his dual life between school and dormitory. The bond he forms with Hakan, an experienced student in the dormitory, leads him to search for freedom and the courage to make his own choices. The film explores not only Ahmet's own story but also the depths of Türkiye's political polarization. The film, which attracted attention with its heartfelt story, narrative style, fresh energy, and the new characters it introduced to the history of cinema, also won this year's Golden Tulip Award.