Newsletters
Turkish director Sinan Sertel is calling for more room to make genre films after his dystopian sci-fi feature “Elisa” screened at the 14th Bosphorus Film Festival in Istanbul.
Elisa was shown at Atlas 1948 Cinema as part of the festival, organized by the Bogazici Culture and Arts Foundation with support from Türkiye's Ministry of Culture and Tourism's General Directorate of Cinema.
Directed by Sertel and co-written with Selman Kilicaslan, "Elisa" brings together science fiction, drama and thriller elements to tell the story of seven people struggling to survive inside a cave after nuclear warfare leaves the outside world uninhabitable.
The cast includes Berfu Ongoren, Cemil Buyukdogerli and Defne Dogar.
Speaking at a discussion moderated by film critic Oya Dogan following the screening, Sertel said he aims to make films that reflect his personal convictions and described "Elisa" as an important project in his career.
He pointed out that dystopian and post-apocalyptic productions remain relatively uncommon in Türkiye, despite offering filmmakers opportunities to explore different themes.
"This is a dystopian and apocalyptic production, and such films are generally seen as projects that require courage. Our greatest wish is for making films of this kind to no longer be considered an act of courage," Sertel said.
Unlike conventional films built around a central protagonist, Sertel explained that "Elisa" distributes its narrative weight equally among the characters rather than following a single hero's journey.
He added that the team was aware of the strong international examples of the genre and considered its decision to move away from a traditional hero-centered narrative the project's boldest creative choice.
Producer Muhammed Hakan Sancaktutan explained that the project first took shape in 2018 but faced difficulties securing financial backing.
Although the filmmakers initially received support from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, they later returned the funding after failing to find additional sponsors.
The project subsequently secured government support again, while Turkish public broadcaster TRT joined as a sponsor, allowing production to move forward.
"Elisa was a huge dream for us, and we made it happen. We are very happy about that," Sancaktutan said.
Actress Berfu Ongoren also described the film as a significant project for Turkish cinema, explaining that she was drawn to the unconventional nature of her character.
She said challenging roles had always interested her and described the filming process as demanding but enjoyable, adding that working with the production team reinforced her confidence in joining the project.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
