Masumlar Apartment (Series)

“Masumlar Apartmanı” is a Turkish television series that began airing on TRT 1 in 2020 and concluded on 24 May 2022 with its 71st episode. The central theme of the series revolves around the traumas experienced by individuals from different layers of society and the impact of these traumas on their daily lives. The series has established itself as a distinctive entry in Turkish television drama within the modern psychological drama genre.

Innocents Apartment Promotion Trailer (YouTube)

Plot

“Masumlar Apartmanı” explores the relationships and inner conflicts of individuals living in the same apartment building. The main characters include İnci (Farah Zeynep Abdullah), Safiye (Ezgi Mola), Gülben (Merve Dizdar), and Han (Birkan Sokullu). The series examines how the childhood traumas of the main characters influence their adult lives and manifest in their social interactions. Through deep psychological issues such as Safiye’s obsessive-compulsive disorder, İnci’s past hardships, and Han’s traumatic experiences, the series also offers social critique.

Cast

• Safiye (Ezgi Mola): Safiye is a woman struggling with psychological disorders and one of the series’ central characters. Obsessively clean and highly temperamental, she embodies intense emotional tension.
• Han (Birkan Sokullu): Han is another central character who remains a focal point throughout the series. Living with his three sisters and father, his life takes a turning point upon meeting İnci. By day Han works at a company, and by night he collects garbage to support his family. His past and internal conflicts significantly contribute to the series’ overarching themes.
• Gülben (Merve Dizdar): Gülben is Safiye’s younger sister and shares a close bond with her. Her story provides depth and balance to the psychological struggles of other characters in the series.

Direction and Cinematography

The series is directed by Çağrı Vila Lostuvalı and Çiğdem Bozali, who deliver a meticulously crafted narrative through careful cinematographic choices. Lostuvalı and Bozali use color palettes, lighting, and camera angles to convey the emotional states of the characters while also treating the spaces they inhabit as reflections of their inner worlds. Particularly, scenes set in confined apartment interiors create an atmosphere that intensifies the characters’ feelings of entrapment and isolation. The director’s use of scene transitions and prolonged single-shot takes successfully directs the viewer’s attention toward the characters’ internal struggles.

Themes and Critiques

“Masumlar Apartmanı” is a production that foregrounds psychological drama. Key themes include family relationships, trauma, loneliness, obsessive-compulsive disorder and other psychological issues, love, and human connections. While exploring how past traumas shape adult behavior and manifest in social interactions, the series also engages in social critique.

Commercial Success and Awards

Masumlar Apartmanı won an award at the 47th Pantene Golden Butterfly Awards.

Ezgi Mola and Merve Dizdar received the “Best Female Actress” award for their roles in Masumlar Apartmanı, while Çağrı Vila Lostuvalı and Çiğdem Bozali won “Best Director” and Alp Yenier won “Best Series Music”.

Production and Broadcast History

Production of Masumlar Apartmanı began in 2020, with its first episode airing on TRT 1 in September 2020. The series was produced by OGM Pictures and written by Gülseren Budayıcıoğlu. It concluded on 24 May 2022 with its 71st episode.