A look at the phenomena of power in Reha Erdem cinema

Reha Erdem is one of the most innovative and distinct directors of recent Turkish cinema. With his early films, Erdem became known both nationally and internationally, and established a unique cinematic language. In this study, a semiotic analysis will be conducted on how the concept of power is addressed in Reha Erdem’s cinema. In this context, the definition of power will first be provided, followed by a discussion of the thoughts of Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, and Giorgio Agamben on power. In the analysis of the selected films Kosmos and Jîn, Agamben’s concepts of biopolitics, state of exception, homo sacer, and camp will be used as the main reference points within the framework of Erdem’s critical stance toward the notion of power. For this reason, Agamben’s ideas will be given more emphasis in the study.