A breakthrough in how the international film fraternity viewed Turkish cinema came in 1982 when filmmaker Yilmaz Guney’s The Way won a top prize at the Cannes film festival.
While in prison in the late 70s, having clashed with Turkey’s repressive regime, Guney was able to prepare the script for The Way, and Syerif Goren took over as director. In 1981 Guney escaped to Switzerland, where he edited the film.