Fatih Akin, an object of research

"As a representative for second-generation Turks living in Germany, Akin seems 
comfortable with the notion that he is German. Yet he also does not mind being called 
Turkish because of his parents’ origins, even if he does not see himself as Turkish. 
Perhaps Akin said it best himself, in an article on the German film Web site 
medienhandbuch.de: “‘Mein Film ist Globalisierung,’ sagt der 34-jährige weiter. ‘Ich bin 
Globalisierung. Ich bin zu Hause in Hamburg, gleichzeitig ein Kind türkischer Eltern. 
Und eigentlich ist das nichts Neues” (Medienhandbuch 1). Fatih Akin is best left to 
himself by the media—no reporter can describe Akin’s identity better than he can".

(Courtney Johnson, German, Turkish or Both? Fatih Akin as an International Identity)

Fatih Akin is a director of turkish descent, born in Germany, lives in Hamburg. In the process of identity-building personally as well as a director, he deals in most of his films with turkish-german relations though co-existence. Without silencing voices, he represents the true living conditions for the Turkish-German community,their problems, the emergence of these hybrid characters, but not in any way that either Turks or Germans  or both could be offended. His aim is not to provide diversification, but also to lead to an understanding between Turks and Germans. "Head-On" as well as "The edge of heaven" focus on that exact point, to suggest another definition for belonging, identity and homeland or make it clear that such notions are rather "liquid".