Turkish Movie “Muallim” (The Teacher) Received 5 Awards in A Festival in the US

Director Müslim Şahin’s first feature-length film “Muallim” (“The Teacher”) received five awards at the American Golden Picture International Film Festival. By the way, the Culture and Tourism Ministry supported the Turkish movie. On the other hand, the accolades included the best film and best director awards.

The Story of “Muallim” (The Teacher)

Turkish movie, “Muallim” (The Teacher), tells the story of a young man whom the Empire sent to Europe to study engineering near the end of its reign. After that, the story continues with his appointment to an Anatolian town as a teacher.

The film is a co-production of Turkey’s public broadcaster TRT. As for the cast of the film, Muallim (The Teacher) stars actors Melih Selçuk, Sevtap Özaltun, Ruhi Sarı, and Halit Karaata.

Filming Location of the Turkish Movie

The filming location of the movie, Muallim (The Teacher), was Kula in western Turkey’s Manisa. The reason for choosing this location was because of the historical town’s beautiful Ottoman-era civil architecture.

A Historical Drama Set Around an Alienated Young Man

Halit Arabacı, one of the producers of the film, made a statement to Anadolu Agency (AA) on the story of the film. He said the film is about the return of a young man, who once alienated from his own land and people to his essence and values. “We planned to release our movie on national Teachers’ Day on Nov. 24. However, we could not manage to show it on time due to the pandemic. Then, we started sending it to festivals. In the first festival, it attended, it claimed five awards. I would like to thank all my coworkers,” he said.

The Turkish Movie Goes Into…

Director Şahin said the film deals with the issue of polarization, which affects politics, economics, and our cultural life. “It reveals the destructive consequences of the country’s weakening as a result of wasting all the energy and time in the ideology-based struggle for power.”

What’s more, Şahin also added that the feedback and awards they received with “Muallim” indicate the production’s upcoming successes.

Meanwhile, the film draws great attention with its children cast, as well. In addition to its professional casting, child stars are as shining as stars in the sky.

Kula: A Well-Preserved Ottoman City

Thanks to its beautiful Ottoman-era civil architecture, Kula in western Turkey’s Manisa continues to be a big attraction for filmmakers and producers. The town, with its historical houses and streets, is a natural film set, especially for costume dramas.

Director Şahin also said that the Kula Municipality was also very cooperative with the filmmaking. “Kula Mayor Hüseyin Tosun has provided all the support that we needed. They did their best to prepare the historical houses and streets. Local people also contributed to the film. We chose most of the extras from among the locals.”

Previously, Kula also hosted films like “Vurun Kahpeye” (“Strike the Harlot”) by Halit Refiğ and “Değirmen” (“The Windmill”) by Atıf Yılmaz.

Before We Finish…

The Turkish movie Muallim (The Teacher) is an impressive historical drama that reveals the inside story of an era in Turkey’s history. So, for those who are into Turkish culture, it is a must-see film. Therefore, don’t miss the chance to watch this touching film in the first place!