“If I die, remember me like this. You won’t be sad,” Halil Kantarci wrote on social media on the evening of July 15, 2016. Kantarci was standing on the balcony of his mother’s apartment from where he could see soldiers and tanks amassing on the Istanbul Strait (Bogazici) Bridge—now renamed the July 15 Martyrs Bridge. By then he had made up his mind: he could not stay silent. Kantarci would soon learn that FETO terrorists plotting a coup against the government had raided the Cengelkoy Police Station. He was only 36. Kantarci kissed his children goodbye, asked his wife for her blessings and left to join thousands of other citizens mounting a resistance against the putschists. As the coup attempt unfolded, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the nation: “I call on our people to gather in the public squares of every province and at the airports. Let us come together as a nation in the squares and at the airports.” Hours later, Kantarci was shot dead by putschists in Cengelkoy – and his final post proved hauntingly prophetic. He became a symbol of the sacrifice of those 253 people who were martyred while defending democracy and liberty.
Cut to the present. It is around 3.30 am in Cengelkoy. Soldiers in combat uniforms rush towards a crowd as frightened civilians spill into the streets. Shouts echo through the night. A decade later, the uniforms are costumes, the weapons are props, and the terror of that night is being carefully reconstructed for Asirlik Gece – a 15-part docudrama produced by TRT and now streaming on TRT 1 and Tabii. The scenes are being recreated not in studios but on the streets where the people confronted the putschists. Actor Kemal Ucar portrays Halil Kantarci confronting the putschists shortly before he is fatally shot, but the weight of the moment remains palpable for the cast and crew.
Ten years earlier, members of the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO)—a clandestine network that had spent decades infiltrating schools, the military, and state institutions—launched their final, violent attempt to seize control of the Turkish state. Tanks blocked bridges, fighter jets bombed parliament, and a commando unit was dispatched to target President Erdogan. The series is adapted from Huseyin Aydin’s book, Asirlik Gece: Belgeler ve Deliller Isiginda 15 Temmuz Darbe Girisimi — A Century-Long Night: The July 15 Coup Attempt in Light of Documents and Evidence. Screenwriter Fatih Mutlu transformed the book’s extensive documentary material into a narrative that could be visualised for a modern audience, ensuring historical accuracy remains the production’s primary goal.
This is neither a crime drama nor a conventional political thriller. It is a docudrama—a hybrid form that interweaves dramatic reconstruction with archival footage, official documents and testimony from those who witnessed the coup attempt, both on the streets and from inside some of Türkiye’s most critical institutions. Filming in Cengelkoy continues until the first light of morning, mirroring the hours of violence and resistance that defined the night. For those who lived through them, the title can feel almost literal: a single night whose weight and consequences have rippled through a century of Turkish history. The docudrama traces the FETO terror group’s decades-long infiltration of schools, the military and state institutions before following 15 intersecting stories from the coup attempt.
It is the first docudrama to feature an interview with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recorded specifically for such a project. “Securing the President’s interview and bringing together the witnesses of that night was one of our greatest achievements on the production side,” general coordinator Muhammed Erkam Bulbul, 41, tells. The series also explores the psychology behind the organisation, portraying how religion was used to demand absolute obedience from its followers. The series reconstructs efforts to seize the General Staff and strategic sites in Ankara and Istanbul, the heart of the resistance. More than 90 interviews form its documentary spine. Interviewees include President Erdogan; current MIT officials; and various survivors who faced the tanks.
Conscript Muhammet Recep Ulu recounts what he witnessed at Akinci Air Base, while dramatised scenes bring his harrowing experience to life. Together, their testimony reveals not only events on the streets but also the decisions, confrontations and internal struggles that defined the night. “This is the story of the Turkish nation’s stand against the coup attempt and its victory,” the creators note. “We can call it the biggest television series ever produced in Türkiye. In effect, we have filmed the equivalent of almost 15 feature-length films.” The project was developed through the testimonies of real witnesses—the people at the centre of these events.
The wider story includes attacks on religious officials and places of worship: at the Police Special Operations complex in Golbasi, imam Mustafa Yaman was killed while helping after the first air strike, and a muezzin was injured. Military, police, political, media and civilian accounts are placed beside one another to provide a holistic view of the national trauma and subsequent triumph. Two employees were killed and four were wounded at media outlets, but the broadcasts continued. “July 15 was terrifying for all of us. But it also showed how, in difficult moments, we came together as a country and a nation and said ‘stop’ to the coup plotters in a loud voice for our freedom and democracy,” says producer Saglam. “Young people in particular do not know very much about an event that took place ten years ago,” Saglam adds, highlighting the educational necessity of the series.
The production team spent months verifying every detail against court records to ensure that the dramatised sequences remained faithful to the legal evidence. By using real locations, the series forces viewers to confront the reality of the violence in the very spaces where they live and work today. The juxtaposition of archival footage with modern-day reenactments serves to bridge the gap between the memory of the event and the current generation’s understanding of it. The series does not shy away from the brutality of the night, showing the direct impact of the coup attempt on families, state institutions, and the democratic fabric of the country.
Every episode is meticulously crafted to reflect the timeline of the night, from the initial movements of the putschists to the eventual collapse of their plans as citizens reclaimed the streets. The inclusion of testimonies from inside the General Staff headquarters provides a rare look at the confusion and bravery displayed by those who were trapped inside the building during the siege. These accounts are balanced by the perspectives of those who were on the front lines at the bridges and airports, creating a multi-layered narrative that captures the scale of the resistance. The series serves as a permanent record of the night, ensuring that the sacrifices made by individuals like Halil Kantarci are not forgotten by future generations.
The production faced significant logistical challenges, including the need to film in high-security areas and the emotional toll of recreating such a traumatic event for the families of the martyrs. However, the involvement of the survivors and the families of the victims provided the production with a sense of purpose and authenticity that would have been impossible otherwise. The series has been praised for its commitment to historical truth, avoiding sensationalism in favour of a grounded, respectful portrayal of the events. It stands as a testament to the resilience of the Turkish people and their commitment to defending their democratic institutions against those who sought to dismantle them.
As the series concludes, it leaves the audience with a profound sense of the cost of liberty. The final episodes focus on the aftermath of the night, the legal proceedings against the coup plotters, and the long-term impact on the survivors who continue to live with the physical and emotional scars of July 15. By documenting these stories, Asirlik Gece ensures that the narrative of the coup attempt remains anchored in the experiences of those who lived it. It is a powerful reminder of the fragility of democracy and the courage required to protect it when it is under threat. The series is now available for global audiences, offering a comprehensive look at one of the most significant nights in modern Turkish history.
Ultimately, the docudrama serves as both a historical document and a tribute to the 253 martyrs who gave their lives. Through its blend of rigorous research and dramatic storytelling, it succeeds in humanising the statistics, allowing viewers to connect with the individuals behind the headlines. The legacy of July 15 is complex, but through projects like Asirlik Gece, the memory of the night is preserved with the dignity and seriousness it deserves. As the nation reflects on the decade that has passed, the series provides a vital space for remembrance, reflection, and the ongoing conversation about the importance of national unity and the preservation of democratic values.
This history unfolds alongside key events of July 15, including the warning received by the National Intelligence Organisation and the attempt to occupy the General Staff headquarters.
Interviewees include President Erdogan; current MIT Director Ibrahim Kalin, then presidential spokesperson; Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who headed MIT in 2016; officials, security personnel, veterans, victims’ relative
Except for several sensitive military sites, Bulbul says almost the entire series was filmed where the events occurred: the July 15 Martyrs Bridge, Cengelkoy, the General Staff headquarters, the Army Aviation Command, th
I have never recognised any power above the power of the people, and we never will.”
Shouts reverberate through the darkness, and panic appears to spread by the second.
Interviewees include President Erdogan; current MIT Director Ibrahim Kalin, then presidential spokesperson; Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who headed MIT in 2016; officials, security personnel, veterans, victims’ relatives and civilians who took to the streets.
By the final days of filming, the cameras had entered 342 locations.
The screenplay took six months to prepare, while the shoot lasted approximately three months.
Directors Cihan Saglam, 40, and Ahmet Toklu divided the production between two units, with a filming crew of around 160 people working through an unusually compressed schedule.
The passing decade created another challenge: many sites no longer looked as they did in 2016.
Production designers had to reverse later alterations and rebuild the visual texture of the night.
Bulbul says the series employed a principal cast of 192 to 193 actors and nearly 14,000 supporting performers and extras; another production representative places the wider cast at around 250 when all speaking and supporting roles are included.
The cast includes Erkan Petekkaya as Salih Zeki Colak, Ruzgar Aksoy as Omer Halisdemir, Yavuz Bingol as Adil Oksuz, Murat Aygen as Hakan Fidan, Burak Sergen as Zekai Aksakalli, Gulsim Ali as Hatice Kubra Ciftci, Seckin Ozdemir as Tolga Kilincarslan, Emir Benderlioglu as Muhsin Kose, Kemal Ucar as Halil Kantarci and Cem Kurtoglu as Hulusi Akar.
The score is by composer Can Atilla.
Accuracy extended to clothing, colour and time of day.
A production representative gives the example of Hatice Kubra Ciftci, who confronted the FETO-linked coup troops on the bridge wearing a black-and-white shirt, a black headscarf and black trousers.
Gulsim Ali was dressed in matching clothes and filmed in the same place during the corresponding time frame.
“Whoever experienced an event that night, we included everything down to the colour of what they wore and their shoes,” Bulbul says.
The first reactions have reflected an appetite for precisely these lesser-known details.
“People tell us, ‘We wish we could watch it all at once,’” director Saglam says.
“Because we are telling a true story, we explore many things people did not know.
Taha Koyuncu was just 23 on the night of July 15 and had only recently completed his military service, during which he served in a tank unit.
We also carried out deep preliminary work so that the real events of that night could reach the audience in the most affecting cinematic way.”
His team sought a different balance, investing in performance, production design and real locations so the dramatised scenes would carry the emotional and visual force of cinema without losing their factual foundation.
He was drawn to the way that series combined the circumstances surrounding a disaster with the intimate struggle of people trying to survive it.
Across the 15 episodes, the scale of the attempted takeover is repeatedly brought back to individual decisions.
Omer Halisdemir received an order he knew could cost him his life.
Acting on the instructions of Special Forces Commander Lt.
Hundreds of kilometres away, on the bridge now named after the July 15 martyrs, Erol Olcok—a close friend and campaign manager of President Erdogan who had helped shape the AK Party’s political campaigns—and his 16-year-old son, Abdullah Tayyip, joined the civilian resistance.
Actor Kemal Ucar has played many figures from distant history, but he says this role carried a different weight.
“If we can speak these sentences freely today, it is thanks to the people who truly sacrificed themselves for this country.”
“Perhaps he never expected that a weapon would be pointed at him.
But when he saw it, he did not run, because in his world there were things more important than himself.”
Re-entering Kantarci’s last moments, he says, brought grief but also an unexpected sense of completion.
Perhaps I internalised it too deeply.
I only hope I have fulfilled my own duty in a worthy way.”
The sala prayers recited from mosques became one of the defining symbols of the night, carrying a call for unity from minaret to minaret as people were urged into the streets.
One episode returns to Polatli Carsi Mosque in Ankara’s Polatli district, where coup troops tried to stop the call by threatening mosque officials and breaking sound equipment.
The struggle over sound was also a struggle over information.
The series depicts raids on TRT and other media organisations, the forced broadcast of a coup declaration and the pressure placed on journalists and broadcasting staff.
At TURKSAT’s ground facilities in Golbasi, coup aircraft dropped four bombs in an attempt to halt television transmissions.
The sequence makes clear why both public and private channels had become strategic targets: whoever controlled the signal could shape what the country understood to be happening.
That multiplication of perspectives is central to the format.
The chain of command appears through interviews and actors, allowing testimony to interrupt, clarify and deepen the dramatised scenes rather than simply follow them.
That is why he sees the series primarily as an archive for a generation that did not witness the night.