Sivas Film Screening & Discussion
Kıvanç Semerci's 2014 documentary Sivas — a devastating portrait of the 1993 Sivas massacre and its long shadow over a survivor — screens as part of Istanbul's Psychology, Philosophy and Cinema meetup series. Expect a candid post-screening conversation that moves between collective trauma, justice, and the ethics of documentary witness. Free and open to all.
About this event
Few Turkish documentaries carry the moral weight of Sivas. Directed by Kıvanç Semerci and awarded the Special Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2014, the film follows Pinhan, a survivor of the Madımak Hotel arson attack in Sivas on 2 July 1993, in which 33 intellectuals and artists — mostly Alevi — were burned alive by a mob. The film's extraordinary power comes from its refusal to look away: a confrontation between Pinhan and one of the perpetrators, filmed with quiet, unbearable tension, forces questions about what reconciliation actually demands of those who suffered. This screening is part of the Istanbul Psychology, Philosophy and Cinema Meetup series, a community-run gathering that uses film as a lens for deeper intellectual conversation. The format typically combines the film itself with a moderated discussion drawing on psychological and philosophical frameworks — in this case, likely exploring trauma memory, restorative justice, and the politics of historical acknowledgment in Turkey. The event is free and conducted in Turkish, though the film includes subtitles. Arrive a few minutes early to secure a seat — these evenings tend to draw a thoughtful, engaged crowd of students, academics, and curious Istanbullus who take their cinema seriously. Given the subject matter, the discussion that follows the screening is often as affecting as the film itself. Check the meetup page for the confirmed venue address ahead of the event, as the series occasionally rotates between intimate spaces across the city.