----------Warning: This article may contain spoilers!

Among the notable figures of Turkish cinema who have achieved limited international recognition, such as Metin Erksan, Ömer Kavur, and the controversially acclaimed Yılmaz Güney, Nuri Bilge Ceylan stands out as the first director to attain lasting prominence on the global stage, and this article focuses on the distinguished filmmaker. Ceylan views the world through the lens of Anton Chekhov, whom he reveres as a great writer capable of conveying life's daily but tragic dimensions with meticulous details despite the plain expression, thus the Chekhovian storytelling filter permeates his films quite a lot. He is heavily influenced by Andrei Tarkovsky and Abbas Kiarostami as well, with his work prominently featuring visual symbolism, settings predominantly featuring rural and small-town environments, and exceptional cinematography and art direction. Additionally, he draws from Bergman’s use of silence to convey narrative depth and Rohmer’s seemingly inconsequential storytelling that, in reality, reveals profound insights.

Ceylan's casting choices evolved from using relatives to professional actors, with even his parents appearing in his films. He frequently collaborates with his wife (Ebru Ceylan) too, who contributes significantly as an actress, art director, and screenwriter. Regarding the relations with his entourage, his friendship with Zeki Demirkubuz, another esteemed modern Turkish director, has been marked by public and social media discussions about festivals and allegations of plagiarism. This former friendship, now turned into a feud, also found place in both side’s films through overt or veiled accusations, has even led to Ceylan being dubbed the "Mayor of Cannes" by Demirkubuz. Although initially a mocking title, in my opinion, it actually fittingly acknowledges his success and recognition in arthouse cinema. Eventually, Ceylan, an auteur who prefers to let his art speak for itself, has crafted a remarkable filmography that showcases his unique vision and cinematic voice. His filmography starts with the (short) film, Cocoon (Koza), offers early glimpses of themes he later explores in his "Provincial Trilogy" (Kasaba, Mayıs Sıkıntısı, Uzak), and in the following his feature films including those that form the trilogy will be subjected.

His first feature film, The Small Town (Kasaba) portrays the daily life of a three-generation family living in a small Anatolian town, capturing the visual simplicity and beauty of nature while deeply exploring the inner worlds and relationships of its characters. Released in 1997, this first film of the Provincial Trilogy (Taşra Üçlemesi) presents us the characters who are directly or at least spiritually connected with the following two movies. Covering approximately 24 hours, the film portrays the monotonous lives of the family with fleeting moments of detail. The film's overarching theme is feeling trapped in life: hopeful children seeking fun and exploration, disdainful adults surrounded by aggression due to pessimism, and elderly characters seemingly resigned to their fate, living with memories but still demands from life. Also, the opening classroom scene hints at critiques of the educational system, though not powerfully. During two other significant and connected scenes, the audience sees a child's act of turning a turtle upside down and later seeing it in his nightmare in which debates of child innocence and confrontation with conscience are shown, motifs recurring in the director’s later films.

Years later, Ceylan regarded this film as his least favorite due to issues with dialogue and dubbing, which significantly influenced his subsequent works. The screenplay is weak and mostly relying on a lengthy and climactic sequence where the family converses in the forest, forming the backbone of the narrative and culminating in a confrontation about life. However, that part feels pretty tedious, requiring the audience to invest considerable effort to contextualize and digest it. Generally, the film's high ambition to be an arthouse piece brings to mind the saying, "The difference between medicine and poison is the dose." Although it aims to convey a message of alienation from the roots at least from time to time as far as one can assume, the screenplay's stagnation, suboptimal realism in dialogues, and relatively unsuccessful transitions hinder effective communication of this theme to the audience. Additionally, the performances, hampered by dubbing, come across as mediocre. Despite these drawbacks, the film can be seen as part of Ceylan’s journey in discovering his storytelling language. It serves as a precursor in both the trilogy and Ceylan’s cinema, managing to attract some attention in local and international film festivals.

The second film of the trilogy, Clouds of May (Mayıs Sıkıntısı), was released in 1999 and follows young director Muzaffer as he returns to his small Anatolian hometown to shoot a new film. Using his family and local townspeople as amateur actors, Muzaffer faces various challenges, both from his cast and due to financial constraints. His father, Emin, is skeptical of Muzaffer’s filmmaking and is more focused on preventing the cutting down of trees in his field by the state, while his mother continues with her daily routines. This film contains autobiographical elements, referencing Ceylan's own journey in cinema. The narrative occasionally suffers from a lack of fluidity due to the editing, and the amateur acting can be problematic, though this may not be evident to viewers watching with dubbing or subtitles. The film’s script prominently features the stories of a selfish director and a father resisting the system (played by Mr. Ceylan’s own father). Despite his lack of professional acting experience, Mehmet Emin Ceylan’s heartfelt performance lends a modest credibility to the film’s critique of the system.

While the screenplay doesn’t provide a direct sequel to "The Small Town," it makes numerous references to the previous film and maintains thematic, stylistic, and spiritual connections. Although films about making films are often intriguing, this one isn’t among the best in that genre. It touches on the challenges of filmmaking but remains somewhat superficial. However, the clash between the filmmaking son and the realities of town life is convincingly portrayed especially through the dialogues. Overall, the film demonstrates the director’s growth since the previous film, and the trilogy's increasing quality is evident. The story, though not particularly captivating or engaging, at least ensures that viewers become invested in the characters’ journeys, making them curious about their developments and outcomes. The political aspect of the film, conveyed through the father's character, adds a layer to the criticism of the system, though it’s not the film’s strongest element and gets somewhat lost in the narrative rather than making a mark on the story. Mr. Ceylan once again by foregrounding the town life, explores themes of systemic neglect, selfishness, and the questioning of innate innocence and morality. It effectively serves as a precursor to the next film, "Distant," which spends only a short portion in the town. Eventually, this work also contributed to the director’s recognition through nominations and awards at both local and international festivals.

The third film of the trilogy, Distant (Uzak) released in 2002, tells the story of Mahmut, a lonely and melancholic photographer living in Istanbul, and his cousin Yusuf, who comes to the city from the countryside to find work. Mahmut struggles to adapt to Yusuf’s presence, disrupting his orderly and isolated life. As Yusuf roams the city in search of a job, the contrast between the characters becomes even more pronounced due to Mahmut’s urban loneliness and disappointments, and as Yusuf's plans clash with reality, the tension also deepens. Considered one of Ceylan's best films, alongside “Once Upon a Time in Anatolia” and “Winter Sleep”, “Distant” portrays two men who have failed to achieve their main goals in life. Yusuf, the younger man, is talkative, warm, enthusiastic, and an optimistic dreamer with naive courage. In contrast, Mahmut, the middle-aged man, is misanthropic, has stopped dreaming, is devoid of expectations, and is a realist verging on pessimism. Their shared loneliness and difficulties with women are other significant aspects of the narrative. 

Generally, the film's character designs and their dynamics are exceptionally well-crafted. It provides the strongest sense of continuity within the trilogy, particularly in terms of story and character development, surpassing the connection felt in the previous films. The pastoral atmosphere present in the first two films enriches the visuals once again, with refined use of both Istanbul and rural settings. Despite its minimalistic script, the film is far more engaging and intriguing than the other films in the trilogy. At the Cannes Film Festival, it won both the Grand Prize of the Jury and the Best Actor award - for both lead actors: Muzaffer Özdemir and Mehmet Emin Toprak. Tragically, Ceylan’s favored actor in his early career, Mr. Toprak, passed away just a day after learning that the film had been selected for Cannes. This poignant backstory adds a layer of depth to the film's reception and legacy.

The first film after the trilogy, Climates (İklimler), released in 2006, tells the story of the fragile relationship between academic İsa and art director Bahar, and the emotional transformations İsa undergoes during its collapse and after. Following their breakup, İsa briefly rekindles a re-connection with his ex-girlfriend Serap, which also fails to meet his expectations, though his level of expectation is quite debatable. Later, learning that Bahar is working on a film set in Eastern Anatolia, İsa decides to follow her in an attempt to salvage their relationship. The film poignantly reflects the transformations in the characters' inner worlds and the fragility of human relationships, paralleling the changing seasons.

Ceylan himself plays the lead role, aware that better performances could have been achieved with other actors. This decision is not driven by ego but by his experimental approach to filmmaking. However, the performances are generally lackluster, contributing to my overall unfavorable view of the film. Alongside "The Small Town," "Climates" is one of Ceylan’s weakest films, featuring a cumbersome story centered entirely around the characters' relationships and development, which, influenced by seasonal changes as the trademark of the story, falls short of its potential. Despite the film's weak narrative and performances, it benefits from its diverse geographical settings and their visual appeal. The characters, though portrayed with mediocre acting, still possess a certain realism that allows viewers to connect with their own past, present, or possible future. The characters' indifferent and self-centered traits are effectively conveyed through the dialogue. After this film, Ceylan moved away from amateur actors, also marking the beginning of what I consider his prime period, despite the exceptional quality of "Distant”. However, "Climates" won the FIPRESCI Award at the Cannes Film Festival, and managed to contribute to Ceylan's growing recognition.

The 2008 film Three Monkeys (Üç Maymun) tells the story of a small family on the brink of collapse due to a car accident and the subsequent events. Politician Servet, involved in that car accident one night, refuses to take responsibility especially due to the upcoming elections. He offers his driver, Eyüp, a large sum of money to take the blame. Eyüp, aiming to improve his family's financial situation, accepts the offer and goes to prison. While he is in prison, his wife Hacer and son İsmail face a complex period. Hacer begins a secret relationship with Servet, and İsmail, who is already mingling with unsavory characters and unable to stay out of trouble, becomes even more detached from the family meanwhile. Upon his release, Eyüp senses the transformations and the truth within his family, primarily due to their lack of communication which even hinders the confrontation. 

The film mainly delves deeply into the difficulties of confronting ignored truths, lies, and secrets. The family in this film is the most spiritually fragmented compared to Ceylan's previous works, playing three monkeys to each other throughout most of the film, and the politician, the only other character deeply connected to the family, is similarly selfish and insensitive. Relevant and correlated to this given background, many impactful scenes in the film suggest significant actions without directly showing them, leaving the audience to imagine while being fully exposed to their effects. The character designs are overall successful, aligning well with the harsh and realistic story. Yavuz Bingöl's performance as Eyüp individually stands out, fitting his role with a calm and subtle portrayal, making it one of the best casting choices in Ceylan's cinema. The film is also notable for being the first to use CGI, with strong efforts and touches to enhance the atmosphere and viewer experience. Although the underlying message (and the visualization) is powerful, the over-simplicity of the plot sometimes feels noticeable. While simple and minimal stories can be highly effective, as seen a lot in the director’s filmography "Three Monkeys" sometimes feels like watching a TV movie, nevertheless, it remains a significant work in Ceylan's career and make him even won the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival, marking his first major impact on the international stage.

Ceylan's 2011 masterpiece, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (Bir Zamanlar Anadolu’da), follows an overnight search in the rural Anatolian countryside for a murder victim's body. A prosecutor, a doctor, police officers, gendarmes, and the murder suspect embark on this journey as the suspect struggles to recall the burial site. During the search, the film dives deep into the personal lives, inner worlds, and relationships of the characters. The prosecutor and doctor engage in profound philosophical and personal conversations, while the tension between the police and the suspect escalates. This nocturnal journey not only aims to solve a murder but also transforms into an introspective journey for the characters themselves. The film also offers a nuanced look at how bureaucracy operates in rural settings and the inferiority complexes that manifest among many individuals within these environments.

The standout performance of the film comes from Taner Birsel, who delivers a remarkable portrayal of a prosecutor grappling with his sins, initially avoiding and eventually confronting them. The Mukhtar Scene, featuring Ercan Kesal who is also one of the screenwriters, also became iconic, largely because the story is based on his real-life experiences as a doctor in Anatolia. The film's cinematography, set choices, and overall landscape backgrounds emphasize a pervasive sense of emptiness—spiritual, existential, and intellectual as well as a mesmerizing appeal! This film, in my opinion, is his best work, excelling in visuals, direction, character development, and performances. It is deceptively minimalistic yet engaging, seamlessly blending elements of a road movie, family drama, soft thriller, and social realism, making it a unique cinematic experience. While it is a predominantly masculine film, which also incorporates a subtle Western-ish tone with an air of mystery befitting its title, with few mentions of women, its strength mostly lies in its exploration of male dynamics and masculinity. The film didn't leave Cannes Film Festival empty-handed, winning the Grand Prize of the Jury, further solidifying Ceylan's international acclaim.

The 2014 film Winter Sleep (Kış Uykusu) centers on Aydın, a former actor now running a small hotel in Cappadocia, and his emotional and intellectual conflicts with his wife Nihal and his sister Necla. Set against the backdrop of Cappadocia's winter landscapes, the film deeply explores the characters' inner worlds and their complex relationships. Aydın spends his time writing for a local newspaper and managing his hotel and properties, while Nihal has grown distant from him, focusing on her charitable works. Necla, having moved from Istanbul to live with Aydın, leads a life filled with unhappiness and regret. Throughout the film, the characters' conflicts, arguments, and reckonings provide deep insights into their inner lives. Aydın's self-reflection, Nihal's hopes and disappointments, and Necla's regrets are intricately woven with the cold of winter and the harsh nature of Cappadocia, offering a profound narrative on human nature, moral responsibility, and personal confrontations.

The story generally revolves around characters from different levels and backgrounds who have not achieved their desired goals. All the main characters, especially the leads, disdain each other's semi-pitiful and semi-idealistic efforts to exist, driven by an immense fear that the other might succeed and find happiness, thus, there is a significant desire but some very passive efforts to bring each other down. Related to that, the most compelling parts are the passive-aggressive, novelistic dialogues, which sound pretty natural under the film’s atmosphere, between the three 'intellectuals' (Aydın in Turkish) in the film. "Winter Sleep" also addresses cultural and class conflicts and the lack of communication between these divides, adding a sociological layer to the narrative. Despite the film's general abundance of dialogue, it does not detract from its pacing or engagement. The film's heavy reliance on dialogue necessitates a theatrical experience, which is brilliantly delivered by seasoned actors Haluk Bilginer, Demet Akbağ, and Melisa Sözen. In addition to the spellbinding performances, atmosphere, and art direction enhance the film's impact through visual medium. "Winter Sleep" made a significant impact at the Cannes Film Festival, winning both the FIPRESCI Prize and the Palme d'Or, marking the pinnacle of Ceylan's career.

Ceylan's 2018 film, The Wild Pear Tree (Ahlat Ağacı), begins with the return of a young literature enthusiast named Sinan to his hometown after graduating from university. Sinan dreams of publishing his own book and gaining recognition as a writer. However, the economic difficulties he faced in his hometown and the issues within his family make it challenging to achieve his dreams. Sinan's father, İdris, a teacher, has driven the family into financial and emotional turmoil due to his gambling addiction. Sinan's mother, Asuman, struggles to cope with this situation, which strains her relationship with his son. As he tries to find the money to publish his book, he reevaluates his relationships with old friends and the townspeople. The film deeply explores his internal journey, his conflicted relationship with his father, and his struggle to become a writer. Once again, Ceylan places village life at the forefront of his narrative, with the director focusing heavily on the father-son dynamics. The film concludes with Sinan ultimately reconciling with his father, both in fate and character, ending on a note of despair.

Sinan's journey from conflict and resistance against mediocrity to eventual surrender is portrayed exceptionally well, despite the actor’s performance being somewhat overshadowed by Murat Cemcir who plays his father, İdris. The father-son relationship is masterfully handled, showcasing Sinan's initial rejection of becoming like his father, his rebellion, his gradual understanding, and his eventual acceptance and submission to this reality. While the conflict and its setup are compelling, the depth of the main character at times felt lacking, which I attribute more to the acting than the writing. The screenplay also sometimes feels disjointed not in its themes but in their execution. For example, I found the famous dialogue between Sinan and the writer in the village to be less effective than it could have been, feeling misaligned and overly theatrical within the film's overall flow. Nonetheless, the film's harsh realism is commendable, especially in clearly depicting Sinan's ultimate failure and reinforcing this with an unreal but impactful suicide sequence, which serves as a powerful narrative and thematic decision. Overall, the film effectively captures the struggles of its protagonist against a backdrop of familial and societal pressures, earning its place as a significant work in Ceylan's filmography.

The 2023 film About Dry Grasses (Kuru Otlar Üstüne) tells the story of Samet, a young teacher on mandatory duty in Eastern Anatolia. Samet dreams of being assigned to Istanbul while struggling with the loneliness and despair of his current village life. The film centers on Samet's relationships with his colleagues Kenan and Nuray, and one of his students, Sevim. Nuray enters Samet's life distantly, in fact, Samet wants to make her get together with Kenan at the beginning, but as Samet changes his decision later, his relationship with both of them becomes jeopardized. Meanwhile, Samet also faces a complex emotional bond with Sevim that puts him in an unforeseen situation in his career.

The film, most importantly, boldly breaks two paradigms: Firstly, it shatters the fourth wall, reminding viewers during a tense scene that they are watching a film. Secondly, it challenges the notion that children are symbols of innocence, portraying them as beings who can harbor natural malevolence due to undeveloped moral judgments. This film touches on political subjects in its subtext too, such as the Ankara Central Railway Station Massacre (2015) and the conflict involving young people who become terrorists/guerillas (depending on which side do you look). However, these elements feel somewhat disjointed from the main narrative, seeming more like supporting the conflict between characters rather than integral parts of the story. Thus, this could be seen as the film’s weakest aspect. Despite this, the film excels in portraying the protagonist's dark and disconnected nature from his surroundings through a compelling character and societal portrait, supported by strong performances and well-chosen settings. Although Merve Dizdar won the Best Actress Award at Cannes for this film, I found the lead actor’s (Deniz Celiloğlu) performance far more impressive. The character’s depth and the actor’s portrayal make for a highly engaging and thought-provoking film, despite its heavy dialogue and political subtext. Furthermore, the photography, a recurring influence in Ceylan’s films, is prominently, innovatively and boldly featured, bringing originality to the narrative in this work too.