Hande Erçel to star in Diaspora: What we know about her new film
Turkish actress Hande Erçel is preparing for a new international project after being cast as the lead in Diaspora, an upcoming drama from Iranian director and screenwriter Nader Saeivar. Set entirely in Berlin, Germany, the film is expected to begin shooting in early 2027 and will explore migration, prejudice, and the struggle to find justice in a foreign country.
Hande Erçel to Play a Turkish Mother Fighting for Justice
Hande Erçel will portray Merve, an educated, middle-class Turkish woman whose life changes after her husband dies tragically in Turkey. Hoping to start over, she moves to Germany with her 12-year-old son and tries to build a stable life for them both.
Merve finds work at a language school run by a German family expecting their second child. However, her efforts to move forward take a difficult turn when she experiences inappropriate physical contact from the family’s 15-year-old son, Luca.
After the behaviour happens again, Merve decides to tell the boy’s father. Instead of believing her, the family rejects her account and turns the accusations against her. She becomes the target of slander and finds herself fighting to defend her reputation.
As a widowed immigrant raising a child alone, Merve must confront both the justice system and the prejudices surrounding her. Her struggle becomes a battle to prove her innocence while protecting her son and trying to rebuild their lives.
Moritz Bleibtreu Joins the Cast
German actor Moritz Bleibtreu has been announced as another member of the cast. He will play the father of the German family at the centre of Merve’s story.
Additional international cast members are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. The film will be shot entirely in Berlin, with dialogue in German, English, and Turkish, giving the production an international character that reflects its story and setting.
Hande Erçel is also expected to travel to Berlin approximately one month before filming begins. Her preparations will include character development, language training, and rehearsals with the creative team.
Who Is Directing Diaspora?
The film is written and directed by Nader Saeivar, an Iranian filmmaker based in Berlin who is known internationally for his collaborations with acclaimed director Jafar Panahi.
Saeivar and Panahi shared an Academy Award nomination for Original Screenplay for It Was Just an Accident, which won the Palme d’Or at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Saeivar’s other directing credits include No End (2022), The Witness (2024), and Hijamat (2026). His earlier work has also explored the experiences of migrants and the Turkish community in Berlin.
In a director’s statement, Saeivar explained that Diaspora grew out of a desire to examine the complicated relationship between East and West, particularly the misunderstandings and prejudices that can shape how people from different backgrounds are treated.
He argued that people who move west in search of peace can still encounter social hierarchies that silence their voices and undermine their dignity. For him, genuine coexistence requires empathy rather than passive tolerance or a sense of cultural superiority.
Who Is Producing the Film?
Diaspora is being produced by Said Nur Akkus of Berlin-based Arthood Films and Emre Oskay of Istanbul-based Sky Films. The partnership brings together production companies from Germany and Turkey for a story that connects both countries.
For Erçel, the project follows her growing presence beyond Turkish television. She is known internationally for series including Aşk Laftan Anlamaz and Sen Çal Kapımı, as well as the film Intoxicated by Love and the Netflix romance Chasing the Wind. Diaspora will give her the opportunity to take on a dramatic role in a multilingual European production.
Filming is planned for early 2027, but an exact start date and release date have not been announced. With further casting details still to come, Diaspora is shaping up to be a notable new chapter in Erçel’s career.
