The German Impact on the Emergence of Turkish "National Cinema" (1914-1922)

The project explores the influence of Germany on the development of "National Cinema" in the Ottoman Empire. Through a comprehensive examination of military, political, economic, and artistic interactions within the field of cinema, it seeks to illuminate the significant, yet often overlooked, role played by the German film industry in shaping Turkish "National Cinema".

Project start:
2024
Project completion:
2025

During the First World War, a remarkable film movement emerged in the Ottoman Empire, the so-called "Milli Sinema" ("National Cinema"). However, common representations in Turkish film studies often take a Turkey-centered perspective, especially with regard to film production during this period.
In contrast, Enis Dinç'sproject takes a broader perspective and emphasizes the crucial role of transnational networks, exchanges and cultural interactions between Turkey and Europe in the emergence of a distinctive "National Cinema" in the final years of the Empire. It will show that the German film sector played the most formative role in the emergence of "national" film productions in Turkey compared to other European film industries, as it was closely intertwined with the Ottoman military, political, economic and cultural spheres.

The project is funded by the Gerda Henkel Foundation.

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