Burning Days

Emre, a young lawyer, is the new public prosecutor in the small Turkish town of Balkaya. The mayor of the town, which is plagued by endless drought, particularly in the summer, is in the midst of an election campaign and promises everyone that he will drastically improve the water supply. The mayor and his clan wield a great deal of power in the town, as Emre soon realises; cronyism is the order of the day. Emre decides to put a stop to this and begins by reprimanding the mayor’s son. In Murat, editor of an opposition newspaper, he finds an ally and a friend. But political unrest is rife.

Turkish director Emin Alper, known here for A Tale of Three Sisters, uses this gripping and oppressive thriller not only to show how corruption and nepotism poison daily life, but also to highlight the impact of climate change. It has since earned him numerous film awards.