Small Tradespeople (Film)

Küçük Esnaf is a 2016 Turkish comedy film directed by Bedran Güzel and written by İbrahim Büyükak and Zeynep Koçak. Produced by BKM Film, it was released in Türkiye on 8 April 2016 through Mars Dağıtım. The lead roles are shared by İbrahim Büyükak and Zeynep Koçak, with supporting performances by Gupse Özay, Cengiz Bozkurt, Cezmi Baskın and Erdal Tosun. The film centers on a small-time coppersmith who inadvertently becomes entangled in the criminal underworld.

Plot

The film follows Berhudar Bakır (İbrahim Büyükak), a coppersmith living in Istanbul, who is threatened by a mafia group following his father’s death. Burdened by his father’s 100,000 lira debt to loan sharks, Berhudar learns he has only five days to pay it off. During this period, he crosses paths with lawyer Ezel (Zeynep Koçak) and endures a series of comedic and tragicomic events as he struggles against pressure from mafia boss Fahrettin (Cengiz Bozkurt).

Still from Küçük Esnaf ()

Cast

• İbrahim Büyükak – Berhudar
• Zeynep Koçak – Ezel
• Gupse Özay – Burcu
• Cengiz Bozkurt – Fahrettin
• Cezmi Baskın – Hüseyin
• Erdal Tosun – Haydar
• Olgun Toker – Oktay
• Ünal Yeter – Salih
• Beyti Engin – Danyal

The film also features numerous supporting characters and extras, reflecting its large ensemble cast.

Production

Küçük Esnaf was financed by BKM Film. Necati Akpınar served as producer, while Fatmanur Sevinç handled set coordination and production management. Veli Kuzlu was the director of photography, and Erhan Özen oversaw the editing. The film’s music was composed by Jingle Jungle and Ömer Özgür. In addition to its theatrical release, the film reached audiences through digital platforms.

Thematic Structure

The film explores the theme of an ordinary individual’s unexpected encounter with the criminal underworld. The protagonist’s descent from a mundane life into chaotic circumstances is treated with comedic elements. Social themes such as family loyalty, debt ethics, love, friendship and personal responsibility are addressed through a humorous lens. Relationships between characters, particularly the bond formed between the protagonist and lawyer Ezel, serve as a key dramatic axis in the film.

Budget and Box Office

In its opening weekend, Küçük Esnaf was watched by over 168,000 spectators. During its theatrical run, it reached a total of 527,229 viewers and generated 6,177,189 TL in revenue. These figures indicate that the film achieved moderate commercial success among domestic productions of its time.