Filmmaker Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay Talks About Challenges Faced by Minority Filmmakers in Germany, Shatters Preconceptions, and Explores Adaptation of 'Mephisto' in His Work
Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay's suspense drama, "Hysteria," is making waves at this year's Berlinale's European Film Market (EFM). The film is a continuation of Büyükatalay's discussion about media representation, particularly the portrayal of Muslims.
Set in contemporary Germany, "Hysteria" explores the diverse experiences and attitudes of German members of the Turkish and Arab communities, as well as those of liberal, westernized Germans of Turkish descent. The film is a provocative and ambiguous conspiracy thriller that delves into themes of paranoia, manipulation, and social tension.
The narrative is designed to be sharp and nail-biting, playing with unexpected twists to challenge perceptions and reveal layered realities. Büyükatalay reflects his perspective on media representation and social class relations by exploring the anxieties and power dynamics that underlie modern social interactions.
In "Hysteria," a character accuses the director of making films in which minorities are presented as victims. This accusation is a reflection of the filmmaker's intention to challenge the status quo and question whose narratives are presented and whose interests they serve.
The film's production, produced by Büyükatalay and producer Claus Herzog Reichel's Cologne-based Filmfaust, has not been without controversy. During the shoot, a Quran went up in flames, causing outrage among Arab extras and resulting in a tense set. This incident, while controversial, serves as a symbol of the clash of worldviews and the burning of Western arrogance and ignorance towards non-Western cultures.
Büyükatalay, inspired by filmmakers such as Pier Paolo Pasolini, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Michael Haneke, and Roman Polanski, sees a need for filmmakers of West Asian descent to be more original, more independent, and more radical. He believes that this is an uphill battle but worth the effort.
"Hysteria" is not Büyükatalay's first foray into exploring themes of Muslim culture in Germany. In 2019, he won the Berlinale's Best First Feature Award for his drama "Oray." With "Hysteria," Büyükatalay continues to challenge perceptions and provoke thought, placing social critique within a global context and reflecting on how power, media, and social classes interact beyond national borders.
In the film, production intern Elif, played by Devrim Lingnau, finds herself caught in the crossfire and increasingly drawn into a whirlwind of shame and suspicion. As the film unfolds, it addresses the responsibility and challenges in producing images under existing social class relations and power structures.
Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay's "Hysteria" is a powerful exploration of contemporary society, using a conspiracy thriller and meta-narrative approach to comment on issues of media influence and social class dynamics. The film is currently being showcased as part of this year's Face to Face with German Films talent showcase campaign at the Berlinale's European Film Market.
- Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay's finance from the film's success in the Berlinale's European Film Market could potentially be used to further fund diversity-and-inclusion projects in his upcoming movies-and-TV productions.
- As a filmmaker, Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay's work in entertainment, specifically in his films like "Hysteria" and "Oray," serves not only as a source of business revenue but also as a platform for social critique and challenging the status quo within the business world.
