Filmmaker İlker Çatak is heading back to the Berlinale spotlight. The trailer for his latest film Yellow Letters has officially debuted, just as the project has been selected to screen in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival.
The selection marks a strong return for Çatak, whose previous film The Teachers’ Lounge also premiered at the Berlinale before going on to earn an Oscar nomination — setting high expectations for his latest work.
A Quiet, Powerful Political Drama
Yellow Letters stars acclaimed Turkish actors Özgü Namal and Tansu Biçer and tells an intimate yet politically charged story about how authoritarian systems seep into everyday life.
Set within artistic and academic circles, the film explores the silent processes of exclusion, fear, and uncertainty — and how political pressure fractures families from within. Rather than focusing on overt violence, the narrative zeroes in on emotional erosion, waiting, and the quiet loss of dignity.
At its core, the film follows artist couple Derya and Aziz, whose lives are upended overnight when they lose their jobs and livelihoods due to state arbitrariness. Forced to choose between their ideals and survival, the strain puts their marriage — and sense of self — to the test.
Inspired by Turkey, Echoing Globally
Speaking about the film, Çatak explained that while the story is inspired by specific events in Turkey, its themes are increasingly universal.
He said the film reflects a growing global reality where people lose their jobs, social standing, and even their right to exist in society due to political systems acting without accountability. Through Yellow Letters, he aimed to give a voice to those whose experiences are often silenced or ignored.
Çatak co-wrote the screenplay with Ayda Çatak.
Familiar Creative Team Reunites
The project reunites Çatak with several key collaborators from The Teachers’ Lounge, including cinematographer Judith Kaufmann, editor Gesa Jäger, production designer Zazie Knepper, and composer Marvin Miller.
The film is produced by Ingo Fliess under If… Productions, with co-productions from Haut et Court and Limanfilm.
Release Plans and Distribution
International sales for Yellow Letters are being handled by Be For Films, while German distribution is managed by Alamode. The film is set for a theatrical release in Germany on March 5.
Final Words
With Yellow Letters, İlker Çatak appears to double down on the kind of socially urgent, emotionally restrained storytelling that made The Teachers’ Lounge such a critical success. Its Berlinale competition slot signals serious awards potential, while its themes feel timely far beyond national borders.
As the festival approaches, Yellow Letters is shaping up to be one of the Berlinale’s most quietly devastating — and politically resonant — films.
