SYNOPSIS

In the mid-nineteenth century, as emerging nation-states seek new alliances, the German government sends a gift to the Ottoman Empire. Thirty-year-old Felix, a photographic technician, is tasked with capturing images of the Ottoman “homeland.” These images are to be displayed in government buildings, hospitals, and schools, helping the Ottoman government solidify a concrete image of a homeland for its people, many of whom had never seen these distant places. Thirty-two-year-old Osman, a military painter fluent in German, is chosen to guide Felix through Anatolia. Eager to distinguish himself, Osman aims to outshine photography with his own art. Felix views the journey as an adventure, a search of the East’s exotic imagery with his futuristic machine. As they travel deeper into central and western Anatolia, their professional rivalry—art versus technology, interpretation versus documentation—evolves into a dialogue about representation, power, and purpose. Gradually, a fragile fellowship begins to form. Upon reaching the Taurus Mountains, they encounter Yörüks, nomadic Turks, who are discontent with the Ottoman government’s forced resettlement policies. Osman discovers the corruption of tax collectors, while Felix finds the orientalist image he seeks. Though they are outsiders, their presence draws them into a local conflict. Without realising the consequences of representing authority, they eventually become the face of a rigid modernisation project. Their journey to Mount Nemrut is interrupted by rebel nomads, whose leader, a fierce woman, initially plans to execute them, sending their heads to Istanbul as a message to the Sultan. When Felix claims to represent the German government, however, and offers a potential alliance, they are spared. After reaching Mount Nemrut, Osman begins to doubt Felix’s true intentions, wondering whether he lied to protect them or if he is secretly serving another agenda. As they sit beneath a decapitated stone statue, Osman’s trust in Felix starts to crumble, as he is unsure whether he has helped a friend or harboured a foreign agent.