Self reflexivity in the films of Ümit Ünal

This thesis builds upon the idea that in his films 9 (Nine) (2002), Ara (Space Between) (2008), Gölgesizler (The Shadowless) (2009) and Nar (The Pomegranate) (2011) Ümit Ünal created a self-reflexive cinematic language by the use of metafictional narration techniques. The study discusses how these techniques are used in different ways and what they mean in terms of reality/fiction and audience/director relationship. Although metafiction is usually defined as an element of postmodern fiction it could not be restricted to it due to its connection with modernist auteur's self-reflexivity and self-consciousness. In this respect it can be said that Ünal's self-reflexivity has a modernist critical view in 9, Ara and Nar whereas the function of self-reflexivity is to underline the intertextuality of the filmic text in Gölgesizler.