ALBAWABA - Serenay Sarıkaya returns with an exciting new independent film.
Preparations are moving ahead for Sevdiğim İnsanlar (People I Love), the new independent film starring Turkish actress Serenay Sarıkaya. As production gears up for filming later this year, Turkish media have revealed four more actors joining the project's expanding cast.
The film will be directed by award-winning filmmaker Doğuş Algün, whose acclaimed feature Ölü Mevsim (Dead Season) brought him widespread recognition. The film will be directed by award-winning filmmaker Doğuş Algün, who gained widespread recognition for his acclaimed feature Ölü Mevsim (Dead Season). Award-winning filmmaker Doğuş Algün will direct the film, which earned him widespread recognition for his acclaimed feature Ölü Mevsim (Dead Season). Filming is scheduled to begin in November in İzmir and the surrounding areas, with the production expected to head to the international film festival circuit after shooting is completed.
Serenay Sarıkaya will play Azra, the central character in the story. Earlier casting announcements confirmed that veteran actor Menderes Samancılar will portray Azra's father, while Zeynep Tuğçe Bayat will play her close friend, Sibel. Bayat and Sarıkaya previously appeared together in Netflix's Kimler Geldi Kimler Geçti.
Turkish entertainment journalist Birsen Altuntaş has now reported that four additional actors have officially joined the production.
Lale Mansur will portray Azra's mother. Serkan Keskin has been cast as her older brother, İrfan, while Rahimcan Kapkap will play her younger brother, Yusuf. Özlem Öcalmaz has also joined the cast as Aysel, one of Azra's childhood friends.
According to Turkish media, Azra is married to Boris, a man who operates the mines in the region where they live. Their marriage has reached the point of divorce, prompting Azra to return to her hometown after many years away. Her homecoming forces her to confront painful memories, rebuild relationships with her family, and face unresolved issues from her past.
Rather than focusing solely on one family's story, Sevdiğim İnsanlar also explores broader social issues in contemporary Türkiye. Through Azra's journey, the film examines themes including love, family bonds, class differences, social inequality, and the growing hypocrisy within society. Turkish media describe the screenplay as presenting these subjects in a simple yet emotionally powerful way.
The project marks another important step in Serenay Sarıkaya's career. Earlier this year, the actress revealed that alongside her commercial work and television projects, she wanted to return to cinema with a film that excited her creatively. She reportedly met director Doğuş Algün during the Adana Golden Boll Film Festival, where she served as a jury member while Algün's award-winning film Ölü Mevsim received multiple honors. Their meeting eventually led to this collaboration.
The film is also expected to showcase a different side of Sarıkaya as she steps away from glamorous contemporary roles to portray a woman dealing with family conflict, emotional trauma, and difficult life choices in a small-town setting. With an acclaimed director, an experienced ensemble cast, and a story centered on deeply personal and social themes, Sevdiğim İnsanlar is already being highlighted by Turkish media as one of the country's most anticipated independent films of the coming year.
