The Epic of Battal Gazi (Battal Gazi Destanı) (translated)

Battal Gazi Destanı is a Turkish historical adventure film directed by Atıf Yılmaz and released in 1971. Made under the Uğur Film banner, it draws its story from a novel of the same title by Özdemir Arıtan, with the script credited jointly to Ayşe Şasa and Atıf Yılmaz. The picture is notable as the first time Cüneyt Arkın took on the legendary title role.

The plot centers on a son sworn to avenge his father, a Malatya-region commander cut down in an ambush laid by Byzantine foes. Along his path of revenge the hero fights off a string of rivals before crossing paths with a formidable Byzantine warrior; the two clash at first but end up forging a firm bond of friendship as they head deeper into Byzantine territory together.

Cüneyt Arkın leads the cast alongside Fikret Hakan and Meral Zeren, with Celal Yonat and Melek Görgün also appearing. Coming after the original 1966 Battal Gazi picture, this entry set the stage for a string of sequels made by other directors and stands as a well-known example of the historical-adventure cycle popular in Turkish cinema at the time.