Gegen die Wand [Head-On] Trailer (2004)

This video is the official trailer for the film "Gegen die Wand", awarded with a Golden Bear. It is the first of a trilogy, which refers to homeland-host country-identity. The film starts in Germany and ends in Turkey. This trasnational narrative does not imply a returning home story, as they have grown up in Germany , rather refers to home and identity searching. We could say that this is the representation of Akin's concept of "home as a state of mind"

July 2nd 1993, Sivas

On the 2nd of July 1993, a Festival of Pir Sultan Abdal Association was organized in Sivas. Aziz Nesin, a writer who was intended to translate the "Satanic Verses" of Rushdie, was invited. Right-wing and Islamist demostrators approached the hotel, where the festival was taking place, demolished the statue of Pir Sultan Abdal, besieged and set fire to the hotel. 37 people were killed. The neutrality of the local authorities as well as of the official state was striking. 

Massacre of Dêrsim 1938

Dersim, has always been a "rebellious" area of the Ottoman Empire and later the Turkish state : not acknowledging the official state authority, not paying taxes, avoiding military serving, following only their tribal law. The modernization praqctices by the Turkish state , were met with great opposition by some tribes in the area, as they considered such practices as a limitation to their freedom and independence. In 1936 the Kemalist state decided to "control" the area and consequently a  military force was implemented, in 1937 a military operation began, in 1938 during this turmoil an onslaught took place. Finally, a deportation of all Zaza-speaking people, an importance percentage of the region,  the "unclear" elements of the -under purification- Turkish state, took place.
The old man in the presented interview, is too cautious to  talk about the events.According to him 80 thousand people were killed (an exaggerated number) , while others were deported to the West.

Maras 1978

This video is about the Massacre in Kahranmaras in 1978. The outcome of an anti-communist propaganda and sectarian anti-Alevi incitement. Men, women, children, even babies and pregnant women were killed and raped. It was one in a series of attacks -but the greatest in number- against Alevis, Kurds and Kommunists as well. The three main "enemies" of the Turkish state. The majority of the victims were Alevis and those perceived as leftists. During a period of turmoil and uncontrolled political violence, the Maras Massacre just accelerated the 1980 coup d' etat.This video presents in every detail the massacre.

The Edge of Heaven- End

In this chapter Fatih Akin is dealing with issues such as tradition, devotion, forgiveness, roots. The young man narrates the Abraham's sacrifice according to his tradition, having though simillarities with the christian myth. Devotion to an ideology, the kurdish movement in particular or a social network, such as family is another emerging issue. Added to that, the Organization's name, in which the young girl is engaged, means "Not Forget" and consequently not forgive the violent actions of the Turkish State towards the Kurds. Lastly, the father of the young man after pending for his son's forgiveness for a long timer, chooses to kill himself at his birthplace.  

The Edge of Heaven- A German-Turkish,Turkish-German space

This is a chapter of the movie "The Edge of Heaven". Fatih Akin implies the homeland-host country issue. The limits of them though, in that exact place, are quite unclear. It is a German bookstore in Istanbul (Turkey) owned at first by a German citizen and later by a Turkish-German professor of German Language. The former seeking his home, returns to his homeland, while the latter returns to his traditional homeland because of Yeter's death. This place includes both German and Turkish features.