Newly appointed to the small town of Yanıklar, a young prosecutor finds himself being pulled into a political conflict during his first criminal investigation. A film by Emin Alper, starring Selahattin Paşalı, Ekin Koç, Selin Yeninci, Erol Babaoğlu, Erdem Şenocak, Nizam Namidar, Eylül Ersöz, and Ali Seçkiner Alıcı.

Young prosecutor Emre (Selahattin Paşalı), newly appointed to the small town of Yanıklar, seeks guidance from Zeynep (Selin Yeninci), the town’s long-time judge, on how to graciously decline the mayor’s dinner invitation. Zeynep, however, advises Emre to accept the invitation, explaining that it is a well-established custom in Yanıklar and that attending social gatherings of this nature would not be detrimental to his endeavors.

At his office, Emre receives an unexpected visit from Şahin Öztürk (Erol Babaoğlu), the mayor’s son and a prominent lawyer, and Kemal Gürçay (Erdem Şenocak), the town’s dentist. They arrive bearing a token of appreciation, a welcome gift for the town’s new prosecutor. However, beneath this veneer of courtesy lies a more covert motive. Their true aim is to subtly observe Emre’s demeanor, assessing his reactions to gauge his allegiance and determine which side he aligns with.

Emre dives into the cool waters of the nearby lake outside of town, seeking solace and respite from the sweltering heat. He encounters Murat Körükçü (Ekin Koç), the town’s shrewd newspaper publisher. Murat’s presence is unsettling, his motives shrouded in mystery. With a cryptic warning, Murat cautions Emre to be vigilant, for the previous prosecutor vanished without a trace amidst the murky groundwater trial.

The water trial centers on the enigma of colossal sinkholes that have recently emerged in neighboring towns, with experts hypothesizing that groundwater drilling may have contributed to their formation. While Yanıklar has not yet experienced a sinkhole, it is uncertain whether or not one will materialize in the near future.

That evening, Emre dines with the town’s mayor Selim Öztürk (Nizam Namidar), and his son Şahin. Selim is campaigning for re-election on a platform of resolving the town’s water shortage through groundwater drilling. However, a problem has arisen in the form of a sinkhole that appeared outside of town, prompting the previous prosecutor to file a criminal lawsuit.

Şahin deliberately induces Emre to consume his special recipe of raki. Kemal subsequently joins them after Selim has left. Murat also comes over, claiming to have overheard an unfamiliar voice from his nearby house. While they are drinking, a gypsy girl named Pekmez (Eylül Ersöz) arrives and begins to dance with Kemal and Selim. Emre eventually becomes intoxicated and loses his consciousness .

Rakı is Turkey’s national beverage. It is typically served with seafood or meze (small plates of appetizers). Two methods are used to produce Turkish rakı. The first method uses raisins and other grapes. Yeni Rakı is made from raisins, and Tekirdağ Rakısı is made from grapes. Yeni Rakı has an alcohol content of 45% ABV and contains 1.5 grams of aniseed per liter. Tekirdağ Rakısı also has an alcohol content of 45% ABV but contains 1.7 grams of aniseed per liter. Rakı is traditionally consumed with chilled water on the side or partly mixed with chilled water and brown sugar. Dilution with water causes rakı to turn a milky-white colour, similar to the louche of absinthe. This phenomenon has resulted in the drink being popularly referred to aslan sütü (‘lion’s milk’).

The next morning, Emre awakens in his bed, hungover, with little recollection of the previous night’s events or how he returned home. He is notified by the police of a sinkhole has reached the outskirts of Yanıklar, which he visits. The police also inform him of another incident, that of a gypsy girl who was assaulted and raped the previous night. Yavuz (Ali Seçkiner Alıcı), the girl’s father, claims that the police have failed to protect his daughter again and allowed her to be raped multiple times.

One evening, Murat presents Emre with evidence that proves the geological reports for the water trial have been falsified. Murat fears that Selim will use this information to his advantage in the upcoming election if he publishes it in his newspaper. Emre is initially distrustful, believing that Murat is using him as a pawn to avoid losing popularity. However, Murat persuades Emre that inaction will only lead to suffering for the people of Yanıklar.

Emre, determined to uncover the truth about what transpired at Şahin’s house that night, inquires of Murat, whose residence is near Şahin’s, whether he heard any screams or unusual noises. Murat claims to have retired to bed and heard nothing out of the ordinary. However, he admits to being awakened again by Emre’s voice. To Murat’s astonishment, Emre has no recollection of being outside, crying loudly, or their conversation that night. Murat suggests that Şahin may have drugged Emre’s drink, which could account for his blackout. Emre is unaware that this is just the beginning of Şahin’s meticulously planned political scheme.

A political drama thriller film directed and written by Turkish filmmaker Emin Alper, rife with suspense and intrigue, grips viewers from beginning to end, as they eagerly anticipate the next twist and turn in this morally ambiguous political arena where opponents ruthlessly eliminate all obstacles, regardless of the cost.

While I typically find flashbacks in films to be gratuitous unless they serve a significant narrative purpose, the flashback in this film is ingeniously employed to ratchet up the suspense. The protagonist’s blackout, likely induced by drugs, provides the film with a pretext to present the viewer with disjointed snippets of his memory, leaving them to decipher and speculate on the next twist. This ambiguity contributes to the film’s psycho-thriller atmosphere, as both the protagonist and the viewer are unsure whether his memories are real or imagined, spurred by the witness’s claims.

KURAK GÜNLER (BURNING DAYS) premiered at Festival de Cannes on 23 May 2022. The film was theatrically released in Turkey on 9 December.