Bandırma Missile Club (Film)

Bandırma Rocket Club is a 2022 Turkish drama film directed by Ömer Faruk Sorak, with a screenplay by Mustafa Uslu, Mert Dikmen and Ayberk Olgay, and produced by Dijital Sanatlar Yapım and TRT. The film, which premiered on 21 October 2022, is inspired by the true story of a group of high school students in Bandırma, Türkiye, during the 1950s who dreamed of sending a rocket into space.

The film portrays a period during the Cold War when the world was witnessing the space race, focusing on a group of young people in Bandırma who organize their shared interest in science and technology to establish the Bandırma Rocket Club. Despite numerous obstacles, they strive to realize their ambitions. Facing limited technical resources and societal prejudices, these youths uphold their scientific convictions and aim to transform a local endeavor into a source of national pride.

^{Scene from Bandırma Rocket Club (}IMDb⁾

• Denizcan Aktaş – Umut
• Alina Boz – Leyla
• Erkan Kolçak Köstendil – Necati
• Atay Yıldız – Hasan
• Aslı Bekiroğlu – Zehra
• Görkem Sevindik – Teacher Kemal
• Öykü Gürman – Teacher Nurgül
• Gökhan Yıkılkan – Deli Yusuf
• Tolga Canbeyli – Mustafa
• Bahtiyar Engin – School Principal
• Ahmet Saraçoğlu – Colonel Halit Eşref
• Altan Erkekli – Mayor Hüsnü Şendil
• Nizam Namidar – Tahsin
• Bülent Alkış – Mehmet
• Başak Akan – Aynur
• Çiçek Acar – Ayşenur
• Hande Oktan – Seniha

The film’s producer is Mustafa Uslu. The music was composed by Yıldıray Gürgen. Filming took place in Bandırma district of Balıkesir, Mudanya district of Bursa, and various locations in Istanbul. Produced in collaboration with TRT, the film was released in cinemas through CGV Mars Distribution.

The film centers on the individual and societal manifestations of scientific curiosity in Türkiye, documenting the motivation developed by the youth through entrepreneurship, solidarity and idealism. It also portrays sociocultural factors such as the instructional guidance of teachers, and the resistance or support from families and public institutions. The period atmosphere, setting and costume design are intended to reflect the historical context.

During its opening weekend in Türkiye, the film was watched by 37,157 spectators and reached a total audience of 144,601. According to domestic box office figures, the film’s revenue was recorded at 6,199,137 TL.