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Best Turkish horror movies

Delve into the unique and often terrifying world of Turkish horror cinema. This list highlights some of the genre's most impactful and chilling films.

D@bbe: Demon Possession
D@bbe: The Possession
D@bbe 5: Curse of the Jinn

Turkish horror has carved out a distinct niche for itself on the global stage, often drawing heavily from local folklore, Islamic mysticism, and intense psychological dread rather than relying on Western tropes. Unlike slashers or monster features common elsewhere, Turkish horror frequently explores themes of djinn (jinn), curses, black magic, and the terrifying consequences of interfering with the supernatural.

Directors like Hasan Karacadağ, known for the prolific D@bbe series, have been instrumental in popularizing this style, using shaky found-footage techniques and disturbing imagery to create a sense of claustrophobic terror rooted in ancient beliefs. The Sijjin series is another prime example, focusing on complex curses and familial horror with often shocking practical effects.

These films aren't afraid to get dark and unsettling, often leaving the viewer with a lingering sense of unease long after the credits roll. If you're looking for horror that feels genuinely different and taps into deep-seated cultural fears, Turkish cinema offers a truly unique and terrifying experience.

10. Sijjin 5 (2018)

Sijjin 5 is another terrifying dive into the world of Turkish black magic and jinn, directed by Hasan Karacadağ. This installment presents yet another chilling scenario of supernatural torment.

The story follows Hale, who is haunted by strange visions and terrifying events connected to a dark ritual performed by her family. As the horror escalates, she must confront the origins of the curse that plagues her.

The Sijjin series, including this fifth entry, is known for its relentless pacing and its willingness to explore truly disturbing themes and visuals rooted in specific cultural fears and beliefs about the occult. Sijjin 5 delivers more of the intense, culturally specific horror that fans of the series expect.

Sijjin 5

9. Sijjin 4 (2017)

Hasan Karacadağ continues his prolific output with Sijjin 4, bringing another chapter of jinn-centric terror to the screen. This film introduces a new family facing an ancient evil.

The plot centers on a family who moves into a new house, only to discover they are the target of a powerful curse tied to the location's dark past. The film ramps up the sense of isolation and vulnerability as the family finds themselves trapped with malevolent forces.

Like its predecessors, Sijjin 4 relies on a combination of found footage, unsettling sound design, and graphic imagery to create its scares. It delves into the idea that evil can be tied to places as well as people, adding another dimension to the series' mythology of curses and jinn.

Sijjin 4

8. Sijjin 3: The Forbidden Love (2016)

Sijjin 3: The Forbidden Love shifts the focus slightly within the Sijjin universe, as the title suggests, centering the horror around a doomed relationship and the dark forces it unleashes.

The story follows Sedat and Nuray, whose love is considered forbidden, leading them down a path where they encounter malevolent entities and ancient curses. Hasan Karacadağ once again directs, weaving a narrative that combines supernatural terror with themes of fate and transgression.

This entry explores how personal choices and societal taboos can intersect with the world of jinn and black magic, adding a layer of human drama to the supernatural horror. It maintains the series' signature style of intense atmosphere and reliance on disturbing visuals.

Sijjin 3: The Forbidden Love

7. Sijjin 2 (2015)

Sijjin 2 continues the terrifying exploration of curses and dark magic in Hasan Karacadağ's popular series. This installment introduces a new, equally disturbing story.

The plot revolves around Adnan and Hicran, a couple whose lives are shattered by a dark curse that begins tormenting their family. The film delves into the origins of this curse, often involving complex family histories and forbidden practices. Like the first film, it's known for its unsettling atmosphere and reliance on practical effects for its scares.

Karacadağ's approach in the Sijjin series often involves intricate plots centered around forbidden acts and their supernatural repercussions, drawing heavily from local superstitions and religious concepts. Sijjin 2 delivers more of the intense, dread-filled horror the series is known for.

Sijjin 2

6. Sijjin (2014)

The Sijjin series is another cornerstone of modern Turkish horror, known for its focus on curses, black magic, and the terrifying consequences of dabbling in the occult. The first Sijjin film, directed by Hasan Karacadağ (yes, he's prolific!), sets the stage for the terrifying saga.

It tells the story of Öznur, a woman desperately in love with her cousin Kudret, who is married. In her desperation, she resorts to dark magic to cast a love spell, unleashing horrifying forces upon Kudret's family. The film doesn't shy away from graphic rituals and disturbing imagery.

Sijjin is rooted in the concept of 'sijjin' itself, which in Islamic belief is a place of torment or a register of evil deeds. This gives the film a potent thematic core centered around sin and damnation. It's a grim and intense watch.

Sijjin

5. D@bbe 5: Curse of the Jinn (2014)

Hasan Karacadağ returns with D@bbe 5: Curse of the Jinn, further expanding the dark universe of the D@bbe series. This entry focuses on Dilek, a young woman who is haunted by terrifying visions and supernatural occurrences leading up to her wedding.

As with the others, the film leans heavily into Turkish folklore regarding jinn and curses, presenting a narrative steeped in traditional beliefs about evil entities. The film utilizes its found-footage style to create moments of intense fear and disorientation.

While the D@bbe films share stylistic elements, each aims to explore different facets of the jinn mythology and the impact of dark magic on ordinary lives. D@bbe 5 offers another dose of the signature dread and cultural horror that defines the series.

D@bbe 5: Curse of the Jinn

4. D@bbe: The Possession (2013)

D@bbe: The Possession (also known as D@bbe 4) continues Hasan Karacadağ's exploration of demonic forces and jinn possession, building on the style and themes established in previous installments.

This film follows a psychiatrist and an exorcist as they attempt to help Kübra, a young woman who is undergoing a terrifying and seemingly supernatural transformation. Like other films in the series, it blends found footage elements, religious themes, and intense psychological horror.

Karacadağ is known for his meticulous research into real-life accounts of possession and black magic in Turkey, which he weaves into his narratives to create a sense of disturbing authenticity. D@bbe: The Possession is another strong entry for fans of intense, culturally specific horror.

D@bbe: The Possession

3. D@bbe: Demon Possession (2012)

The D@bbe series is absolutely central to Turkish horror, and D@bbe: Demon Possession (or D@bbe 3) is often cited as a turning point, solidifying the found-footage style and jinn mythology that the series is known for.

Directed by Hasan Karacadağ, this installment focuses on a young woman named Kubra who begins experiencing terrifying supernatural events linked to her past and a malevolent jinn. The film excels at creating a sense of escalating dread through its raw, shaky camerawork and unsettling sound design.

It delves deep into Islamic folklore surrounding jinn, curses, and black magic, giving it a distinct cultural flavor that sets it apart from Western horror. If you're exploring Turkish horror, this entry in the D@bbe saga is essential viewing for its influence and sheer creepiness.

D@bbe: Demon Possession

2. Musallat (2007)

Musallat, directed by Alper Mestçi, is one of the early heavy hitters in the modern wave of Turkish horror, laying some serious groundwork for the jinn-centric terror that would become so prominent.

The film tells the story of Suat and Nurcan, whose seemingly perfect life is shattered when a malevolent entity begins to torment them. What makes Musallat effective is its blend of traditional Turkish folklore about jinn possession with a grounded, domestic setting, making the supernatural horror feel chillingly real and invasive.

It was a significant box office success in Turkey and spawned a sequel. It's a must-watch if you want to understand the roots of the current Turkish horror boom and experience a genuinely creepy possession story.

Musallat

1. Baskin (2015)

Prepare yourself, because Baskin is a descent into absolute nightmare fuel! This film really put Turkish horror on the global map with its relentless, surreal, and deeply unsettling atmosphere.

Directed by Can Evrenol, Baskin follows a team of police officers who are called to backup at a remote location, only to stumble into a literal portal to hell. It's not just jump scares; it's the pervasive sense of dread, the gruesome practical effects, and the sheer wrongness of everything they encounter that gets under your skin.

It's based on Evrenol's 2007 short film of the same name, and the expanded feature-length version manages to maintain that intense, claustrophobic feeling while building a truly disturbing mythology. If you think you've seen it all in horror, Baskin might just prove you wrong.

Baskin

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