THE GIRL FROM THE MARSH CROFT (AYSEL, BATAKLI DAMIN KIZI), 1935

Türkiye | DCP, Black & White, 80’ | Turkish
Director: Muhsin Ertuğrul
Cast: Cahide Sonku, Muhsin Ertuğrul, Ergun Köknar, Talat Artemel,

Based on a story by Selma Lagerlöf, with a screenplay by Nâzım Hikmet, Aysel, the Girl from the Marshes is one of the first films in the cinema of Türkiye to center rural life.

When Aysel is exploited and left pregnant by the man she works for, her standing in the village is shaken, but rather than submit, she takes her former employer to court, finding unexpected support from Ali along the way. Aysel’s story makes a woman’s struggle to take control of her own fate visible alongside stark class contrasts. A key production in the rise of Cahide Sonku as a star, it is a “homeland film” that brought rural life and women’s issues to the heart of early Republican cinema. The original score was composed by Cemal Reşit Rey.

The Girl from the Marsh Croft was restored by Sinematek/Sinema Evi with the support of Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi.

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.