In this TIME essay, Elliot Ackerman examines Tolga Karaçelik’s award-winning Turkish film Sarmaşık, or Ivy, and considers what its portrayal of fear, division, and authoritarian leadership reveals about politics in Turkey and the United States.

A Ship Stranded at Sea

Ivy follows six men trapped aboard a commercial freighter after its owner falls into debt. As isolation deepens, the captain, Beybaba, attempts to preserve control by encouraging suspicion, informing, and division among the crew.

Fear as a Political Strategy

Ackerman interprets the ship as a political allegory. Beybaba’s efforts to manufacture unity through fear mirror the tactics of leaders who use instability, external threats, and social divisions to consolidate authority.

Turkey, Censorship, and Authoritarianism

The essay connects the film to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s political strategy, including renewed conflict with Kurdish groups, greater involvement in Syria, and pressure on journalists and media organizations critical of the government.

An American Parallel

Watching the film after a U.S. presidential debate, Ackerman hears similar appeals in proposals to exclude Muslims, expand surveillance, and use overwhelming military force. He argues that political leaders in many countries rely on fear to present themselves as protectors.

Read the Original Essay

Read “What a Turkish Film Can Teach Us About American Fear” at TIME →