But Müzeyyen This Deep Passion (Film)

But Müzeyyen Is a Deep Passion is a Turkish drama-romantic film released in 2014, directed by Çiğdem Vitrinel and written by Çiğdem Vitrinel and Ceyda Aşar. The film is adapted from the short novel of the same name by İlhami Algör. The story centers on the personal and emotional transformation of a writer who analyzes women and relationships, through his relationship with a mysterious woman named Müzeyyen.

Synopsis

The film is narrated from the perspective of Arif, a young unpublished writer who attempts to put his thoughts on women and relationships into writing. Müzeyyen, who enters his life, is a confident and enigmatic woman who shatters all of Arif’s preconceptions. A conflict emerges between Arif’s idealized image of women and the reality of Müzeyyen. His relationship with her leads him to transform his views on women, love, and himself. The film has a structure that questions conventional definitions of love and focuses on the inner reflections of its characters.

Scene from the Film But Müzeyyen Is a Deep Passion (IMDb)

Cast

• Erdal Beşikçioğlu – Arif
• Sezin Akbaşoğulları – Müzeyyen
• Erdinç Gülener – Poyraz
• Ege Aydan – Burak
• Hale Sürel – Pınar
• Barış Yalçın – Halil

Production Process

The film was produced by Mars Prodüksiyon and distributed through Warner Bros. Türkiye. Shooting took place in Istanbul, primarily in interior locations. Feza Çaldıran served as the director of photography. The film was released in Türkiye on 12 December 2014 (Beyazperde, 2025).

Thematic Structure

“But Müzeyyen Is a Deep Passion” explores the individual experience of love through a narrative infused with psychoanalytic dimensions. The film interrogates the representation of women from a male gaze perspective. The character of Müzeyyen is constructed as a kind of “anti-muse” and becomes the catalyst for the male protagonist’s transformation. Throughout the film, the tension between the intuitive and intellectual dimensions of love drives the narrative.

Budget and Box Office Performance

Filmed on a low budget as an independent production, the film reached 27,187 viewers nationwide in Türkiye. Its total box office revenue was recorded at 316,002 Turkish Liras. Although it achieved only limited commercial success, it cultivated a dedicated audience due to its narrative style and literary source material.

Awards and Nominations

At the 2014 Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival:

• Vedat Özdemir won the award for Best Cinematography.