Kasaba (Small Town).
Told from the perspective of two children, 'Kasaba' describes the relationships between members of an extended family in a small Turkish town. Told in four parts which unfold with the seasons, the film is a touching and bittersweet portrait of childhood and adult hopes and fears. Intimately observed and beautifully shot, Ceylan's feature debut won the Caligari Prize at the 1998 Berlin Film Festival.

Clouds of May.
'Clouds of May' tells the story of Muzaffer, an Istanbul filmmaker who returns to his small provincial hometown to make a movie. While professing a desire to capture the essence of village life on film, his obsessive dedication to his art in reality blinds him to the everyday events that really matter to the people who live there. Featuring natural performances from his own parents and Muzzaffer Ozdemir and Mehment Emin Toprak - who would later share acting honours at the Cannes Film Festival for 'Uzak' - Ceylan's semi-autobiographical film is a subtle and sensitive portrait of a rural community.