Children of the Soil (Film)

Children of the Soil is a Turkish drama film released on 14 September 2012, directed by Ali Adnan Özgür and written by Dilşah Özdinç. Produced by Erkan Can, Tamer Çiçek and Tolga Karaçelik, the film examines the historical context of the Village Institutes and the social, cultural and political transformations shaped through these institutions.

Children of the Soil Film Trailer (Youtube/Box Office Türkiye)

The film focuses on the final years of the Village Institutes, which operated in Türkiye during the 1940s. The story begins with the rescue of a young girl named Karika, who escapes a raid on a Romani encampment and is saved by Cevher, a student at the institute. With the support of İsmail Hakkı, Cevher secures shelter for Karika at the institute. However, Karika’s admission sparks opposition from the local villagers and puts pressure on the institution.

Commander Necip, representing the military authority in the region, has long been hostile toward the institute. Exploiting these events, he launches a raid and arrests the school’s principal, Teacher Kemal. Meanwhile, the students, occupied with preparations for the planned amphitheater, are shaken by the news of their principal’s detention.

The film contextualizes the closure of the Village Institutes within broader historical developments in postwar Türkiye, including the transition to a multi-party system, the removal of İsmail Hakkı Tonguç from his position, and the resignation of Hasan Âli Yücel. Social themes such as Romani identity, social exclusion, and child marriage are explored through the characters. Aybike, one of the characters, is a 13-year-old Tatar girl who was married off; her special bond with Kerim, whom she cares for, deepens through her experience at the institute.

The film examines, within a historical framework, how the Village Institutes were conceived as part of early Republic of Türkiye’s educational policy to promote rural development and social transformation, and the obstacles they encountered. The political climate of the era, the impact of World War II, and rising ideological tensions—such as Turanist movements and accusations of communism—targeted the institutes’ independent structure.

The character of İsmail Hakkı Tonguç in the film represents the ideological foundation of the system as the Director General of Primary Education, while Teacher Kemal embodies the local efforts to implement this ideal.

^{Toprağın Çocukları Filminden Bir Sahne (}IMDb⁾

• Erkan Can – Teacher Kemal
• Ufuk Bayraktar – Cevher (Student)
• Türkü Turan – Aybike (Student)
• Müge Boz – Karika (Romani Girl)
• Bahtiyar Engin – İsmail Hakkı Tonguç (Director General of Primary Education)
• Suzan Kardeş – Melek (Karika’s Grandmother)
• Şebnem Sönmez – Nazife (Servant)
• Menderes Samancılar – Hanro (Karika’s Father)
• Serdal Genç – Sündüz (Village Headman)
• Bertan Dirikolu – Necip (Sergeant)
• Haluk Cömert – Ahmet (Master Craftsman)

• Director: Ali Adnan Özgür
• Screenplay: Dilşah Özdinç
• Producers: Erkan Can, Tamer Çiçek, Tolga Karaçelik
• Runtime: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Genre: Drama, History
• Release Date: 14 September 2012

The film was watched by 8,398 viewers during its opening weekend and earned ₺93,589. Over its 12-week theatrical run, it reached a total of 57,905 viewers and generated ₺532,123 in revenue (Box Office Türkiye).^【1】

Children of the Soil was nominated in two categories at the 2012 Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival.

• Best Cinematography: Yusuf Aslanyürek
• Best Film: Ali Adnan Özgür

The film dramatizes Türkiye of the era within its historical and educational context, centering on individual experiences of social discrimination, ideological pressure, and the struggle for education. The function of the Village Institutes, along with the social resistance they faced and their historical trajectory, are presented through a chronological narrative.