Minik Serçe as a Contrary Example Among the Singer Films in Turkish Cinema

Abstract

This article is about the Turkish film Minik Serçe (Little Sparrow, 1978), starring Sezen Aksu, one of Turkey’s most legendary female singer-songwriters. The film belongs to the category of musical “singer films” of Turkish cinema, which were popular between the 1940s and late 1980s. It is also a remake of A Star is Born (1976). The article examines the similarities and differences between the original film and the Turkish remake and compares it with another singer film from the same era Yansın Bu Dünya (1977), which falls into the category of an Arabesk singer film. Both films have similar plotlines but very different portrayals of female characters. The focus of the article is on what makes Minik Serçe stand out from the other films of its time. In doing so, it also examines the role of its auteur director Atıf Yılmaz, and the cliches of Turkish cinema from the Yeşilçam era.