Since the radioactive clouds of Chernobyl reached Turkey in 1986, political leaders have repeatedly sought to mislead the public about the risks of radiation, insisting that it poses no threat to human health. The absurdity of their statements—claims such as “a little radiation is good for you,” “radioactive tea tastes better,” “radiation strengthens bones,” or “your household propane tank is just as risky as nuclear”—combined with Turkey’s nuclear history stretching back to the 1930s, forms the tragicomic core of Nuclear alla Turca.

Bringing together little-known stories, archival materials, and Mozart’s Rondo alla Turca (also known as the “Turkish March”), Nuclear alla Turca is a feature-length documentary about Turkey’s long, strange, and often surreal relationship with “the nuclear.” Centering Turkey, the film tells an international story from a local perspective, showing how global nuclear history has found its echoes and expressions in Turkey.

Darkly humorous yet deeply unsettling, Nuclear alla Turca makes visible how political rhetoric, technological ambition, denial, and their real-life consequences have shaped Turkey’s nuclear narrative. It is a story of comedy and catastrophe, of unfounded confidence and tragic miscalculation—a story rooted in Turkey, yet extending beyond its borders.