The evaluation of the theme of love in national cinema within the context of Yücel Çakmaklı movies: Connecting roads, My Son Osman and My Country film examples

The aim of this research is to evaluate the theme of love in National Cinema within the context of Yücel Çakmaklı's films. Accordingly, a study has been conducted focusing on the films "Birleşen Yollar", "Oğlum Osman", and "Memleketim" from Çakmaklı's filmography. Yücel Çakmaklı, one of the founders and most significant proponents of the National Cinema paradigm, is distinguished for imbuing cinema with a nationalistic duty and vision, particularly within an Islamic framework. Emerging in the 1960s, the National Cinema movement underscores the necessity of infusing cinematic narratives with a distinct national perspective bolstered by spiritual and cultural traditions. Within Çakmaklı's films, there is a discernible examination of the characteristics of both Turkish and Western civilizations. These films underscore the prevailing notion of individuals needing to return to their national and religious values, alongside criticisms of Westernization. This study specifically analyzes the films "Birleşen Yollar," "Oğlum Osman," and "Memleketim" within the framework of the theme of love. Within the dialectic of human and divine love, there is criticism of extramarital sexuality as a facet of human love. Human love, in these films, is predominantly depicted within familial structures or romantic relationships. Conversely, divine love emerges as a dynamic influencing characters in their pursuit of religious and national identity. The portrayal of divine love extends beyond religious symbols to encompass national symbols such as flags and historical landmarks, serving as a catalyst for characters' evolution towards a nuanced blend of religious and national consciousness. Through meticulous content analysis of these films, it becomes evident that divine love supersedes human love in characters' transformations. Consequently, there arises a compelling need for thematic analysis of the concept of love within Yücel Çakmaklı's filmography.