Orientalist representations in cinema: Films of Fatih Akın and Ferzan Özpetek

This thesis focuses on how orientalist representations are realized in the case of Fatih Akın and Ferzan Özpetek?s films. In this context, spatial and individualistic representations in these films are evaluated by the perspective of orientalism. As a result of the analysis, it is seen that the East, in specific reference to Istanbul, is spatially represented as a ?dark?, ?dangerous? and ?exotic? place, while characters are pictured as ?others? by highlighting their being ?objects of desire?, ?nasty other? and ?sexually different?.In this respect, in the first chapter the theory of orientalism is evaluated profoundly. In the second chapter, the relationship between media, ideology and orientalism is discussed and focused on how orientalism is generated as a discourse. In the third and final chapter, the films are analysed. In conclusion, it is argued that Fatih Akın and Ferzan Özpetek?s films, which can be categorized as immigrant cinema, has a potential to internalize the orientalist discourse of the West and reflects this in their cinematic representation.