SALVATION
by Emin Alper
2026
“Salvation” is Emin Alper’s fifth feature film.
A Liman Film production, in co-production with Horsefly Films, Bir Film (TR), Meltem Films (FR), TS Productions(FR), Circe Films(NL), Kaap Holland Film(NL), ERT S.A. (GR)
Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize winner at the Berlinale 2026.
story
In a remote village high in the Turkish mountains, the return of an exiled clan reignites a decades-old land feud. While dormant resentments resurface, Mesut, the local leader’s brother, is seized by unsettling visions. Believing them to be divine warnings, he starts to challenge his brother’s leadership. Religious convictions, power struggles and tensions surge in the community. Will this all lead to tragedy or salvation?
director
Emin Alper was born in 1974 in Ermenek, Karaman. Trained in economics and history at Bogazici University-Istanbul, Alper holds a PhD in Turkish Modern History. His first feature, Beyond The Hill (2012), received numerous awards including the Caligari Film Prize at Berlinale Forum and Best Film at Asia Pacific Awards.The film has been screened at over 30 international film festivals and released in France (Memento Films) and Germany (Arsenal). His second feature Frenzy (2015) premiered at 72nd Venice Film Festival’s in Official Selection’s competition and received the Jury Special Prize. Frenzy has also been a recipient of the Jury Grand Prize at 9th Asia Pacific Screen Awards. Alper’s third film A Tale of Three Sisters had its world premiere at 69th Berlin International Film Festival’s Competition section, and won various awards including Best Film, Best Director, and FIPRESCI awards at 38th Istanbul Film Festival, and Best Director at 25th Sarajevo Film Festival. His fourth film Burning Days premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, Un Certain Regard section in 2022. His latest film Salvation, had its world premiere in competition of the Berlinale 2026, and won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize.
Aside from his filmmaking career, Emin Alper teached modern history in the Humanities and Social Sciences Department at Istanbul Technical University. Now, he’s the artistic director of Sinematek/Cinema House in İstanbul, Turkey.
team
Written and directed by Emin Alper
Cast
Feyyaz Duman, Caner Cindoruk, Berkay Ateş, Naz Göktan, Eren Demir, Hichi Demi , Özlem Taş
Produced by Nadir Öperli
Co-produced by Ersan Çongar, Yorgos Tsourgiannis, İrem Akbal, Laurent Lavolé, Miléna Poylo, Gilles Sacuto, Stienette Bosklopper, Maarten Swart
DoPs Ahmet Sesigürgil (GYD), Bariş Aygen (GYD)
Music Christiaan Verbeek
Editing Özcan Vardar (KUDA – BFS)
Production design Nadide Argun
Art director Bilen Bilmen
Casting by Ezgi Baltaş
Costumes by Gülşah Yüksel
Make-up & SFX designer Kyriaki Melidou
Sound design by Nardi Van Dijk
Sound recordist Dimitris Kanellopoulos
Color grading Sakis Bouzanis
VFX supervisor Arnaud Leviez
Supported by Eurimages, Aide Aux Cinémas Du Monde – Centre National Du Cinéma Et De L’image Animée – Institut Français, Région Île-De-France / Paris Region, Netherlands Film Fund – Netherlands Film Production Incentive, Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center, Red Sea Film Fund
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