Ankara Yazı: Veda Mektubu

On August 10, 1978, a coffeehouse frequented by leftists in Ankara was raided. Even the strict rule in the country could not prevent this and similar atrocities. A few hours after the incident, which would later be known as the Balgat Massacre, the police detained many young nationalists in the surrounding neighborhoods whom they believed to be connected to the incident. Among those detained was Mustafa Pehlivanoğlu, who was only 20 years old at the time. Mustafa's detention marked the beginning of a legal battle for his mother, Zeynep, and his father, Ahmet Bey. Years later, Mustafa Pehlivanoğlu was sentenced to death by a court established by the September 12 Military Coup and was executed one morning without his parents even knowing about it...

Directed by —, Ankara Yazı: Veda Mektubu leans on a strong ensemble — İpek Tuzcuoğlu, Gürkan Uygun, Münir Can Cindoruk — 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 history titles of 2016.