Berlin in Berlin (1993)

Since its premiere, "Berlin in Berlin" has sent sound waves throughout the transnational cinema culture. One can still see the repercussions it has on the German and Turkish film industry today. The film director, Sinan Çetin, was the first person to create a film that switched the roles of having an ethnic Turk feeling out of place within Germany and an ethnic German fitting in with society. This role reversal can also be seen as the first film and the beginning of the second phase of Turkish German Cinema, the "pleasures of hybridity" phase. This film follows a young ethnic male German who falls in love with a Turkish colleague's wife, and by unforeseen circumstances, is forced to live and hide out in her home with the rest of her ethnic Turkish family. The film makes use of the cinematic gaze right out of the gates, with the first scene filled with stares between audience and character, and character and character. Although there are only three different sets to the film, this allows the viewer to focus more on the plot and how what is happening is affecting everyone involved. "Berlin in Berlin" is a suspenseful piece, with very sound acting and a simple but innovative story-line. Recommended that everyone should watch this film to understand the transition of filming throughout Turkish German Cinema history.