Films by Martina Priessner

Germany 2025, 97 min
by Martina Priessner

Thirty years after the racist attacks in Mölln, survivor İbrahim Arslan discovers hundreds of forgotten letters of solidarity. The film follows him and his family in their struggle to foster a new, victim-centred culture of remembrance. [75 BERLINALE Panorama]With Hava Arslan, İbrahim Arslan, Namık Arslan, Yeliz Burhan.

2020, 87 min
by Martina Priessner

For 20 years, the Syrian Orthodox nun Dayrayto lives on the grounds of a church in Zaz, a dilapidated and abandoned Assyrian village in southeastern Turkey. Ever since the monk died six years ago she lives alone with her animals. Her presence in the region is a thorn in the side of many local actors. Lately, the situation is getting worse. Dayrayto, however, made a vow to protect the church and not to leave the holy place, even at the cost of her life.

2015, 46 min
by Martina Priessner

650 Words tells the story of eight people from different regions in Turkey – all of whom want nothing more than to be reunited with their loved ones in Germany. However, before they can start living together with their spouse they must first obtain a german language certificate in their home country, which is a mandatory requirement to apply for a family visa.For Ayse, Ibrahim, Nur, Soner, Hayriye, Halil, Zelal, and Naime is the language course a journey they embark upon to join their husbands and wives in Germany. As these eight individuals reveal their personal lives, how they met their partners, and their dreams about living side by side with their families in Germany, unique stories emerge that also trace a complicated relationship between two countries.This documentary was realized through the Mercator-IPC Fellowship Program.

Germany, Turkey 2010, 88 min
by Martina Priessner

Bülent, Murat, Fatos and Cigdem work for German Callcentre in Turkey and share the memories of their youth in Germany. Now all of them live in Istanbul, three of them against their will. Only Ciğdem, the young manager with a German passport freely opted for a life in Istanbul. Bülent was deported five years ago; Fatoş and Murat were forced to go to Turkey by their parents. Even after decades in their parents’ country of origin, the three have never really managed to make it their home. „The Berlin filmmaker shows a reality which falls through all the grids of the reductive image of Turkey widespread in Germany.“ (taz) ,Based Down South‘ is a haunting contribution to the theme of home, Heimat.“ (tip) „A definite must-see is also ,Based down South‘, a document of globalization (SZ)