‘Yellow Letters’ review: İlker Çatak’s Turkey-set political drama has much to say about the state of the right-leaning West — Berlin Film Festival

When I think about a quintessential Isabelle Huppert film, I like to defer to a largely forgotten feature that will soon turn ten: Serge Bozon’s 2017 Mrs. Hyde. I say “quintessential” because Huppert ...

Marcelo Martinessi's Narciso tells a timely, poignant story of repression, rebellion, and societies that turn us into monsters and persecutors.

In a greenhouse in southern Spain, Iván falls in love with his newly hired co-worker, Hadoum. But his long-awaited promotion interferes with their relationship, forcing Iván to decide what kind of per...

Nina Roza is a confident, understated drama from Geneviéve Dulude-de Calles that reflects on a variety of questions in increasingly interesting ways.

Ulrike Ottinger's 'The Blood Countess' is a loopy Viennese vampire hunt that couldn't be more exquisitely tailored for Isabelle Huppert.

In these contemporary times, with the world becoming more & more authoritarian by the day, it's important to speak out, speak up, and take a stand. But doing so can be dangerous, of course. Artists have always been a target of authoritarian regimes – because they often use their art to speak out, speak up, and stand against the government and their oppression. German-Turkish filmmaker İlker Çatak's latest film is a tale of two artists who start to struggle when an authoritarian regime comes for them and starts to censor, shut down, and oppress their way of living and their vitally important artistic expression. His new film is titled Yellow Letters, also known as Gelbe Briefe in German, and it's set in Germany though he's using the prominent German cities to double as two prominent cities in Turkey (Berlin is Ankara, Hamburg is Istanbul). The title is a reference to German culture – in Germany, a yellow letter is an official, legally binding document from courts, authorities, or police – often indicating a summons, lawsuit, penalty order, or debt collection. You don't want to get one of these, especially if it's saying you're in trouble for your art or something you stated. // Continue Reading ›

13/02/2026 - BERLINALE 2026: Ilker Çatak reconstructs Turkey to dissect the ambivalent facets of art and life, political oppression, education and couples' relationships

Festival de Berlín 2026: crítica de “Yellow Letters” (“Gelbe Briefe”), película de İlker Çatak (Competencia Oficial) El realizador de Once Upon a Time in Indian Country (2017), I Was, I Am, I Will Be ...

Jérémy Comte's Paradise is at times supremely enchanting and at others wholly baffling, with the central plot never finding its footing.

Papaya utilises simple geometric shapes and vibrant colours to create a dialogue-free tale that will make you tear up over the fate of a papaya seed.

Family-friendly, vibrant animation explores the nooks and crannies of the Brazilian rainforest through the eyes of a papaya seed - from the 76th Berlinale

Après Seuls les rebelles, la section Panorama continue son sillage à la fois romantique et politique avec Iván & Hadoum, histoire d’amour sous le soleil médittéranéen entre deux personnes que tout opp...

'Yellow Letters,' İlker Çatak's follow up to the Oscar-nominated 'The Teachers' Lounge,' has sold across Europe for Be For Films.

İlker Çatak's Yellow Letters is a fierce story of political rebellion that demonstrates the raw power of art and self-expression.

The 'Teacher's Lounge' filmmaker discusses setting his Turkish story in Germany, working with ambiguity and why he's an even bigger Philip Glass fan after the composer pulled his Kennedy Center premie...

04/02/2026 - The French sales agent will be betting on Spanish director Ian de la Rosa’s movie, set to be unveiled in the Panorama section, and Marc Fitoussi’s All About Corinne, among others

'Paradise' Trailer: Two Teenagers Growing Up Miles Apart In Ghana & Quebec Search For Connection In Berlin-Bound Drama

Migration story seen through the eyes of a young girl.

Note: This review was originally published as part of our 2024 Thessaloniki coverage. When the Light Breaks is now available digitally. Watching When the Light Breaks on a recent day in Thessaloniki, ...