Critical Representation of Family in Turkish Cinema: An Analysis of Majority and Nobody’s Home Films

This study examines the critical representation of family in contemporary Turkish cinema through an analysis of two films: Majority (2010) by Seren Yüce and Nobody’s Home (2013) by Deniz Akçay. Traditionally, Turkish cinema has portrayed the family as a sacred institution with predominantly positive attributes, reflecting the sociocultural values of Turkish society. However, these selected films challenge conventional representations by highlighting the destructive aspects of family relationships, particularly regarding individual autonomy and identity formation. Utilizing content analysis methodology, the research explores how these films depict families as environments where emotional and psychological imprisonment occurs, contrasting sharply with idealized family portrayals in earlier Turkish cinema. The theoretical framework draws upon functionalist, feminist, and postmodernist perspectives on family, as well as concepts from critical theorists including Freud, the Frankfurt School, and Laing. The findings reveal how both films illustrate the phenomenon of “internalized imprisonment” where family members, though conscious of their constraints, cannot escape familial authority structures. This study contributes to understanding the evolving representation of family in Turkish cinema and how it reflects broader societal changes in family ideology and structures.