BLACK HEAD (KARA KAFA), 1979

Türkiye / West Germany | DCP, Color, 76’ | Turkish
Director: Korhan Yurtsever
Cast: Betül Aşçıoğlu, Cüneyt Kaymak, Savaş Yurttaş

One of the most politically charged examinations of labor migration from Türkiye to Germany, viewed through the axes of class, labor, and gender.

Metal worker Cafer sees Germany as a chance to lift his family out of poverty and brings his wife Hacer and their children to join him, but migration shifts the balance within the family. While Cafer clings to conformity and hard work, Hacer undergoes a transformation through political and feminist movements, and the children confront alienation. After its completion, the film was banned on the grounds that it “damaged the honor of friendly nation Germany.” Denied an audience for 32 years, it screened publicly for the first time at the 2012 Antalya Film Festival; the restored print premiered at the 2023 Berlinale.

Black Head was restored in collaboration with Arsenal – Institute for Film and Video Art and bi’bak / Sinema Transtopia.

For the Thursday screening of this film, visitors can collect their tickets at the museum desk on the day of the screening. Tickets are free for residents of Türkiye.