Yurt

In 1997, tensions between religious and secular Turks are rising. Fourteen-year-old Ahmet is sent by his newly converted father to an Islamic boarding school, a “yurt,” to learn Muslim values. Ahmet works hard to be a perfect son, but he struggles to fit in with the rough teenagers at the yurt and feels isolated at his secular day school, where he hides his new home from his classmates. His only comfort is his new friend Hakan, a streetwise boy who understands the system. Together, they believe in making their own decisions. Nehir Tuna's debut film is a haunting coming-of-age drama about identity, conformity, and rebellion. YURT has won awards at numerous international festivals, including Venice (Best Screenplay, Best Debut), Zlín (Golden Slipper), Saint-Jean-de-Luz (Prix de la Critique), Cottbus, and the Istanbul Film Festival (Best Cinematography). In 2025, the film won the Grand Prix in Sarajevo and the Jury Prize in Annonay.