| Iranian director and screenwriter Nader Saeivar, who has made a name for himself with his achievements at international festivals, is stepping behind the camera once again for his new feature film, “DIASPORA”. Produced jointly by Arthood Film and Sky Film, the film will star Hande Erçel, one of Turkey’s internationally acclaimed actresses, in the lead role. The cast will also feature a strong international ensemble, including prominent actors from Germany. Filming will take place entirely in Berlin, and the production will be in German, English, and Turkish. Nader Saeivar was part of the creative team that won the highest honour at the Cannes Film Festival—the Palme d’Or—for co-writing It Was Just an Accident, which was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards (Oscars). Additionally, the director won the Orizzonti Extra Audience Award at the Venice Film Festival for his film The Witness, and his latest film, Hijamat, was selected for the Official Competition at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2026. Logline / Plot Summary: The film tells the harrowing story of Merve, a young woman who, after losing her husband in a tragic incident, leaves her past behind and moves from Turkey to Berlin with her 12-year-old son to build a new life. Merve works in a language school of a German family expecting their second child. After a meet-up between Merve, her son and the German family, Merve falls victim to inappropriate physical contact by the family’s 15-year-old son named Luka. Torn between remaining silent and speaking out, she decides to inform the boy’s father after the harassment recurs.However, the family refuses to believe Merve and turns their accusations against her, making her the target of severe slander. As a widowed immigrant living alone with her 12-year-old son in a foreign country, Merve is forced into a gruelling battle against both the justice system and societal prejudices. The family’s refusal to accept their child’s wrongdoing deepens Merve’s isolation. Striving to stay strong for her son, the young woman finds herself dragged into an exhausting struggle between law and conscience to prove her innocence. The film explores themes of migration, identity, loneliness, suspicion, the price of being a woman, class discrimination, bias, and the unseen face of the quest for freedom in Europe—all set within a psychological thriller atmosphere. Production Schedule: Principal photography will begin in Berlin in the first quarter of 2027. Approaching her role with an extensive preparation process, Hande Erçel will travel to Berlin about a month prior to shooting to begin character development, language training and creative rehearsals. |
