Three Generations of Turkish Filmmakers in Germany: Three Different Narratives

Abstract

In a social environment where Turkish guest workers have been depicted as isolated, incapable victims who could not speak for themselves or for their people, German directors were the first to provide portrayals of immigrants in Germany. Then emerged the second generation of Turkish filmmakers who brought along a breakthrough for Turkish‐German cinema. These filmmakers wanted to move beyond the cinema of duty and enjoy their double occupancy by interpreting their in‐betweenness as cultural richness. The third generation filmmakers are now no longer the silenced and disadvantaged members of the host society; instead, they have been active agents who are qualified, skilled, educated and thus self‐confident.