Once Upon a Time in Anatolia

2011 2h 43m TR

🙌

7.5

BANGER

★7.5TMDB · 568

DramaCrime

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A group of men set out in search of a dead body in the Anatolian steppes

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Muhammet Uzuner
Doktor Cemal
Yılmaz Erdoğan
Komiser Naci
Taner Birsel
Savcı Nusret
Ahmet Mümtaz Taylan
Şoför Arap Ali
Fırat Tanış
Kenan
Ercan Kesal
Muhtar
Erol Eraslan
Murder Victim Yaşar
Burhan Yıldız
Suspect Ramazan

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Writers: Ercan Kesal, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Ebru Ceylan
Languages: Turkish
Countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

RUNTIME

Did you know

Clocks in at 163 minutes — on the longer side of feature-length cinema.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 15 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan, shot by Gökhan Tiryaki. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Bora Goksingol shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Muhammet Uzuner and Yılmaz Erdoğan and Taner Birsel carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt1827487 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Nuri Bilge Ceylan directs. Gökhan Tiryaki behind the camera. Bora Goksingol cuts. A long sit — settle in. Produced in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey. Dialogue in Turkish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Clocks in at 163 minutes — on the longer side of feature-length cinema.
2Released 15 years ago.
3International production across 2 countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey.
4Directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan, shot by Gökhan Tiryaki. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Editor Bora Goksingol shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Muhammet Uzuner and Yılmaz Erdoğan and Taner Birsel carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt1827487 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Released under 11 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Gökhan Tiryaki
Editing: Bora Goksingol
Production design: Çagri Erdogan
Costume design: Meral Efe
VFX supervisor: Yves Delforge
Sound: Erkan Altınok
Runtime: 163 min · 2h 43m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $138,730
Original language: TR
Certification (US): M
IMDB: Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (2011)

Awards

Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

joannefilm2024-11-15
★ 10/10
Came across this film by accident while exploring what was on the Mubi platform. The title was super familiar but I hadn't ever watched it. From the opening shot - you see it here on the poster - a long, wide view of car headlights driving through rolling hills - it's clear that this film doesn't look like anything I had ever seen before. In many ways, this is a thriller, but backwards: We know who the killer is in the opening scenes. But as the story unfolds, we learn about the petty politics and grievances amongst the police officers, then the villages as their members talk about the case, and the instinctual covering up of evil. This film led me to watch the director's - Nuri Bilge Ceylan - most recent film: About Dry Grasses. This one was nominated for the 2023 Palm D'Or at Cannes. And is even more extraordinary. I really hope you watch this film!

Production companies