Shahmaran (Şahmaran) (translated)

Zülfü Livaneli directed the 1993 Turkish adventure, family and fantasy film Şahmaran. Inspired by the legend of Shahmaran, the sultan of serpents, it opened on 11 February 1994. Shot in color on 35 mm, it runs 96 minutes. Livaneli wrote the script with Zeynep Avcı, produced the film with Ülker Livaneli and composed the music himself. The production company is Interfilm.

The story centers on young Yusuf, who lives a poor but peaceful life with his grandfather, who keeps a coffeehouse on the shore of the Golden Horn. Mehmet Balkız plays Yusuf. His grandfather, a former treasure hunter, has told him tales of Shahmaran that feed his imagination. One day Yusuf goes with a friend to the Byzantine-era dungeons in search of adventure, gets lost and falls into the hands of antiquities smugglers. The gang is headed by a beautiful sultana, played by Türkân Şoray, and Yusuf begins to wonder whether she is the Shahmaran he has always dreamed of. The cast also includes Dilâver Uyanık (Tahir), Suna Selen (Menekşe), Rana Cabbar and Atacan Arseven (the King).

The cinematographer is Ümit Gülsoy and the editor Mevlüt Koçak. Suspense, mystery, smugglers, a dungeon and a snake are among its key elements.