Watching films can be a great way to jolt your language proficiency up to the next level.
There are many benefits of learning Turkish. Gone are the times when learning a new language was a hobby for a few.
As the world shrinks a bit each day, global citizens want to explore what has long remained unexplored.
With modern beaches and historical splendors, Turkey has attracted much attention worldwide.
It is no longer unexplored. With Baklava finishing off global parties on a sweet note, discussions started with ‘Merhaba’ to make them more fascinating.
But there’s more to Turkish than this. The language is a form of expression that encompasses Turkey’s entire culture and tradition.
And what better medium than cinema to understand a language with context?
Learning a language through movies is an effective way to enhance language skills.
It is a practical language-learning strategy that helps us achieve higher proficiency in our target language.
Where to watch Turkish movies?
There is an abundance of good movies on Netflix to learn the language.
You can use secret genre codes to save time when watching Netflix movies.
Replace the last few digits XXXX (Netflix.com/browse/genre/XXXX) with the below-mentioned codes to explore the treasure.
Movies – 1133133, Emotional TV Dramas – 1630830, Romantic TV-Series – 1630825, Emotional Movies – 1637349, Comedies – 1133134, Dramas – 1133135, Romantic Movies – 1630981, TV Dramas – 1207137, Turkish Movies & TV-Shows – 871341, TV-Series – 1295701, and many more.
You can also watch several original films and TV series on various online streaming services, including Amazon Prime Video and many more.
Some videos are also available on YouTube, Vimeo, and other platforms.
12 Must-watch movies to help you learn Turkish
Today, we’ll take the first step toward learning Turkish easily by exploring its films.
Turkish is one of the most difficult languages, and cinema can undoubtedly help you on your journey toward Turkish fluency.
Here is a list of 12 cinematic wonders to help you quickly dive into your Turkish lessons.
Initially, you can view it with subtitles before trying it without.
1. Eşkıya (The Bandit) — 1996
Known for Turkey’s official entry to the 70th Academy Awards, The Bandit is a story of a man released from prison after serving for 35 years.
After finding his home village drowned in water because a new dam had been constructed, he reached Istanbul to take old revenge.
Despite its complex vocabulary, this film is suitable for intermediate to advanced learners of Turkish.
If you fancy seeing thrillers and crime talkies, you can surely add them to your favorite list.
2. Hababam Sinifi (The Chaos Class) — 1975
Going by its name, The Chaos Class takes you back and forces you to remember your good old school days.
A group of lazy students conspires against their new principal.
They make you laugh out loud with their innocent pranks.
The vernacular language used by the students in the film allows you to appear for the beginner-level Turkish language fluency exams.
The simple dialogues make it easy-going and fun to watch. As a result, it is one of the highest-rated Turkish movies.
3. Babam ve Oglum (My Father and My Son) — 2005
A family drama with sudden emotional upheavals, My Father and My Son became one of the highest-grossing films in Turkish cinema.
The pain and emotions of a father bring him back to his roots.
The film portrays the strong relationship between a father and a son with extreme honesty.
The movie covers a striking aspect of Turkish culture. With basic vocabulary and a range of emotions, it helps elementary and intermediate students of Turkish.
4. G.O.R.A. (2004)
With a script from comedian Cem Yilmaz, G.O.R.A. is a fun film.
Aliens abduct a used-carpet dealer, and what follows is a good laugh while you learn a new language.
The film’s tongue-in-cheek humor will keep you glued. This movie is best suited to intermediate- and advanced-level students, with simple dialogues and slightly advanced vocabulary.
It is one of the most popular science fiction flicks made in Turkey.
5. Vizontele (2001)
Turkish writer Yilmaz Erdogan pens down his childhood memories in the form of Vizontele. The film is set in the 1970s, when televisions were not yet standard in Turkey.
Introducing television to a Turkish village brought excitement and challenges.
By using tragicomic language, the film evokes multiple emotions simultaneously.
The villagers’ natural, simple dialogue makes it an appropriate choice for beginner-level Turkish language learners.
6. Süt Kardesler (The Foster Brothers) — 1976
A comedy classic of the Turkish cinema, The Foster Brothers is a story that creates fun around identity confusion and a ghoul haunting the house.
Directed by Ertem Egilmez, the film is among the most talented in Turkish cinema.
The film’s dialogue is natural, and the vocabulary is easy to understand.
It makes The Foster Brothers a valuable learning resource for beginner Turkish learners.
7. Selvi Boylum Al Yazmalim (The Girl with the Red Scarf) — 1977
Directed by the legendary Atif Yilmaz, The Girl with the Red Scarf is a romantic drama about love and logic.
Touted as one of the most impressive films from the Turkish cinema’s Golden Age, the movie highlights a young mother’s struggles.
The classic drama includes some challenging vocabulary, making it difficult for a beginner to understand.
An intermediate learner can best take advantage of this vital piece of Turkish cinema.
8. Kis Uykusu (Winter Sleep) — 2014
If you love drama, this is one movie you should watch.
Directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Winter Sleep is a 2014 Turkish tragicomedy based on Anton Chekhov’s short story “The Wife.” A subplot also appears in Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov.
The 200-minute-long movie also won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
Set in Anatolia’s vast steppe, this story follows Aydın, a wealthy man who owns several hotels.
While he writes columns for a local newspaper and researches the history of Turkish theater, his manager, Hidayet (Ayberk Pekcan), runs the business and collects the rent from the local tenants.
Winter Sleep is an intensely gripping, masterfully told, and compelling drama that will help you build your Turkish vocabulary, phrases, and sentences.
9. Gegen die Wand (Head-On) — 2004
This isn’t it if you are looking for your conventional love story. Head-on (Gegen die Wand) is a 2004 German-Turkish drama film written and directed by Fatih Akın.
The film won the Golden Bear at the 54th Berlin International Film Festival.
The film is about a marriage of convenience between self-destructive individuals — A Turkish-born, an alcoholic German widower, and a young lady of Turkish descent.
Both met in a hospital, and she convinced him to marry to escape her restrictive, repressive, and abusive male relatives.
The lengthy dialogues on complex social issues will undoubtedly be challenging but valuable for intermediate and advanced learners.
10. Bir Zamanlar Anadolu’da (Once Upon a Time in Anatolia) — 2011.
Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s film Once Upon a Time in Anatolia is a 150-minute, slow-paced Turkish crime drama.
It is a film that has received several positive reviews from critics and won numerous awards at various film festivals.
The first two hours of the movie Mustang take place at night in the vast Anatolian countryside.
The caravan set out searching for a dead body, comprised of a police commissioner, a prosecutor, a doctor, a driver, two murder suspects, and a man with a laptop who would type out the testimony.
Apart from the suspense scenes and awe this Turkish film evokes, it is an excellent way for learners to engage in the art of mastering the Turkish language.
11. Mustang (2015)
Mustang is a Turkish feature film inspired by Sofia Coppola’s Virgin Suicides.
The movie is fabulous for beginners and intermediate-level students.
Even without subtitles, you will gain a lot of vocabulary, verb expressions, and sentences for daily use.
Set in a coastal town in northern Turkey, Mustang follows five rebellious sisters whose family restricts their contact with the outside world, especially boys.
The innocent game caused unintended consequences!
It all started when these beautiful girls played games with their male classmates on the beach.
The family exaggerates and removes all devices, such as mobile phones and computers.
They eventually put them into house prisons to learn the moral lessons and housework to become suitable brides.
12. Yol (1982)
Premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and later at the New York Film Festival, this film depicts Turkey’s political tyranny in the most cinematic way possible.
‘Yol,’ translating to ‘trek of life,’ depicts the journey of five prisoners on bail and the tragedies they face.
It introduces you to the socio-political scenario in Turkey and the oppression of women.
Despite some problematic vocabulary and simple dialogues, the film can help an intermediate-level learner of Turkish.
Takeaway on Learning Turkish with Films
Learning a new language opens a world of possibilities.
Watching films is one of the most innovative ways to learn a foreign language.
Turkish isn’t a simple language to learn. However, combining it with the movies mentioned above will undoubtedly help you achieve your language learning objectives.
Suppose you want more recommendations or information regarding movies to learn Turkish. In that case, you can always ask me in the comment session below.
Have Fun! İyi Eğlenceler!