Early Republican History in New Turkish Cinema

This book explores the influence of 1990s criticism on the cinematic portrayal of Turkey's Early Republican Period, focusing on popular historical films about the War of Independence and the founding of the Republic. The 1990s marked a pivotal time when critiques of nationalism and the Early Republican modernization project led to a reassessment of the previously untouchable ideals of Kemalist ideology. As Turkish society confronted the pressures and outcomes of the modernist policies of that era, the grand narrative of the Republic’s foundation was opened to new scrutiny. This study examines how this critical shift shaped the historical films produced in the late 1990s and 2000s, revealing the impact of 1990s criticism on the representation of the Early Republican Period in Turkish cinema.