(2025, 104 minutes)
Drama / Thriller
Director: Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay
Age rating: 12
Language: German with English Subtitles
Following his award-winning debut Oray, director Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay once again explores the dynamics of perception and projection, as well as cultural identity and prejudice. His second feature film, Hysteria, is a gripping thriller about paranoia and social tension.
It all begins on a film set: German-Turkish filmmaker Yiğit is shooting a film about the racist arson attack in Solingen. After wrapping a key scene, extras discover a burned Quran among the props—triggering chaos. Assistant director Elif is entrusted with the footage, but the film reels go missing. As she tries to restore order, Elif becomes entangled in a web of lies and conspiracy.
Büyükatalay brings a fresh voice to German cinema. Rather than relying on clichéd representations of migrants, he actively challenges them. Premiering in the Panorama section of the Berlinale in February, Hysteria is a bold statement on art, freedom of expression, fear, and collective hysteria.
Trivia/Awards/Nominations
Weltpremiere, Berlinale Panorama 2025
