Istanbul Calling

Deniz, a woman from Marseille whose parents kept her away from her roots, discovers the existence of Alev, her paternal great aunt, through an anonymous package. In the Istanbul of the 1960s, a detective investigated this young woman, who was mysteriously erased from familial memory. This is the debut feature by Alexandre Büyükodabaş, inspired by Chris Marker’ın La Jetée.

Directed by Alexandre Büyükodabas, Istanbul Calling leans on a strong ensemble — Tuğba Sunguroğlu, Eren Çiğdem, Yurdaer Okur — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2026.