Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay’s Hysteria, showcased at the 2025 HSBC German Film Festival in Adelaide’s Palace Nova Cinemas, is a provocative and layered exploration of identity, representation, and the ethics of storytelling. This suspenseful thriller, set against the backdrop of a film production, delves into the complexities of depicting historical trauma and the ensuing moral dilemmas.

The film unfolds on a Berlin movie set where Turkish-German director Yigit (Serkan Kaya) is recreating the 1993 Solingen arson attack, a real-life hate crime that claimed the lives of five Turkish-German individuals. The production takes a controversial turn when a burned Qur’an is discovered on set, igniting tensions among the cast and crew, many of whom are refugees. This incident becomes the catalyst for a deeper examination of the boundaries between art and exploitation, authenticity and appropriation.

Central to the story is Elif (Devrim Lingnau), a young assistant director navigating the treacherous waters of ambition, identity, and integrity. Lingnau delivers a compelling performance, capturing Elif’s internal conflict as she becomes entangled in a web of secrets, lies, and paranoia. Her portrayal anchors the film’s exploration of the personal costs of systemic issues.

Büyükatalay blurs the lines between fiction and reality to critique the exploitation of immigrant narratives in Western media. The film questions who has the right to tell certain stories and at what cost, challenging audiences to reflect on their own perceptions and biases.

The film’s ambitious themes are commendable, with the climactic finger pointing scene at the end of the film keeping you guessing until the very end.

Hysteria is not a conventional thriller; it’s a piece that challenges viewers to confront uncomfortable truths about society, media, and themselves. Its screening at the HSBC German Film Festival underscores the festival’s commitment to showcasing cinema that sparks dialogue and introspection.