My Father Is in the Military (Babam Askerde) (translated)

My Father Is in the Military is the feature-length debut of Handan İpekçi, who wrote, directed and produced the film. The 86-minute Turkish production, made by Yeni Yapımlar Ltd., opened on April 21, 1995, and is regarded as an example of political cinema.

Set during the September 12 period, the film follows three children from different social backgrounds whose parents are arrested. Suddenly deprived of their fathers' affection, the children are left with unconvincing excuses and struggle to make sense of their pain within their own worlds. Rather than using overtly political language, İpekçi conveys the era's oppression through a quiet fragility seen in the children's eyes. At the 7th Ankara International Film Festival in 1995, the film earned İpekçi both the Promising New Director and Promising New Screenwriter awards.