Netflix’s ‘She Said Maybe’: A Botched Proposal Unearths a Secret Turkish Dynasty

The new German-Turkish film She Said Maybe presents a narrative centered on a profound schism of identity, using the accessible framework of a romantic comedy to explore the intricate dynamics of cultural heritage and self-determination. The story’s diegesis follows Mavi, a young woman portrayed by Beritan Balcı, whose life, rooted in the liberal milieu of Hamburg, is irrevocably altered during a trip to Turkey. The journey, initiated by her boyfriend Can (Sinan Güleç) with a conspicuously unsuccessful marriage proposal, rapidly spirals into a revelation: Mavi is the heiress to an opulent and influential Turkish business dynasty she never knew existed. This discovery thrusts her into a liminal state, caught between two seemingly irreconcilable worlds. The film meticulously constructs a conflict between the individualistic freedoms of her German upbringing and the glamorous, yet constrictive, familial obligations she encounters in Istanbul. This central tension is not merely romantic but deeply existential, forcing Mavi to navigate the dichotomies of freedom versus duty and personal desire versus tradition. The narrative is propelled by the formidable family matriarch, grandmother Yadigar, played by Meral Perin, who embodies a tradition-conscious worldview. Yadigar has a “rock-solid plan”: Mavi must be assimilated into the dynastic fold by joining the successful family business and leaving her old world—including her boyfriend Can—behind.

The Architectural Blueprint of a Culture Clash

The film’s narrative architecture, penned by screenwriter Ipek Zübert, demonstrates a complexity that elevates it beyond conventional romantic comedy. Zübert’s diverse background, which includes work on tense crime series like Dogs of Berlin, the Grimme Award-nominated young adult drama Die Welle, and the Grimme-awarded series THE MOPES, informs the film’s layered structure. The engagement of a screenwriter celebrated for her work in psychological drama to helm a romantic comedy is a conspicuous choice. It suggests a deliberate strategy to infuse the narrative with a tension that transcends generic convention. Plot elements such as familial “intrigue” and a dynasty’s predetermined plans for its heiress are central to the conflict. This is exemplified by the introduction of a “suspiciously perfect” rival love interest, Kent (Serkan Çayoğlu), who is explicitly enlisted by the grandmother to make Mavi’s life in Hamburg “look old” in comparison to the glamorous adventure awaiting her. Zübert skillfully weaves these threads of suspense and drama, more aligned with family sagas or light thrillers, into the rom-com’s fabric, creating a hybrid text that subverts audience expectations. The story begins with a familiar premise but gradually unspools a more intricate web of familial power dynamics, ensuring the narrative remains compelling and unpredictable.

A Coalescence of Directorial Perspectives

The film’s execution is guided by the dual directorship of Buket Alakuş and Ngo The Chau, a partnership that represents a strategic fusion of distinct artistic sensibilities. Alakuş brings a career steeped in the exploration of German-Turkish identity, with a filmography that includes titles such as Einmal Hans mit scharfer Soße (A Spicy Kraut) and Eine andere Liga (Offside). Her involvement provides a crucial layer of thematic authenticity, ensuring the cultural nuances at the heart of Mavi’s story are rendered with depth and verisimilitude. This focus is deeply personal; Alakuş herself stresses that she cannot separate her Turkish from her German identity, a perspective that directly informs her directorial approach. Complementing this is the aesthetic precision of Ngo The Chau, an acclaimed cinematographer and “Directing DP” known for his sophisticated visual storytelling and “sure sense of aesthetics” in projects like the award-winning series Bad Banks and high-end action productions. This pairing is not coincidental but rather a sophisticated production model. Alakuş, as a content specialist, grounds the film in cultural reality, while Chau, as a form specialist, provides the polished, high-production-value aesthetic essential for a global streaming release. This synergy allows the film to function as both an authentic German-Turkish story and a glossy piece of international entertainment, capturing the “dazzling Istanbul and picturesque Cappadocia” with cinematic flair while never losing sight of its narrative core.

Navigating the Liminal Space Through Performance

The film’s thematic weight is anchored by its lead performers, whose backgrounds suggest a casting philosophy that prioritizes substance over type. Beritan Balcı, in the role of Mavi, brings extensive and recent training from the prestigious Bayerische Theaterakademie August Everding and a foundation in stage acting at Schauspiel Essen. Her theatrical experience provides her with the tools to portray Mavi’s complex internal journey with psychological depth, grounding the film’s dramatic ambitions. Likewise, Sinan Güleç, who plays Can, Mavi’s link to her life in Hamburg, is an actor trained at the Hochschule für Schauspielkunst Ernst Busch with engagements at esteemed theaters like Schauspiel Köln and Thalia Theater. The decision to cast two leads with rigorous, contemporary German theatre training is an artistic statement, signaling that their performances are the primary vehicle for the film’s serious exploration of identity. The supporting cast, which includes established German actor Katja Riemann and veteran Meral Perin as the authoritative grandmother, further strengthens the dramatic ensemble. Their collective experience ensures that the characters are rendered not as rom-com archetypes but as multifaceted individuals caught in a web of cultural and personal conflict.

The Visual and Sonic Language of Two Worlds

The film’s central dichotomy is reinforced through its technical craftsmanship. The visual grammar, established by cinematographer Jieun Yi, employs a dialectical approach to world-building. Known for creating distinct atmospheric worlds in projects like the gritty urban drama Sonne und Beton, Yi visually differentiates the film’s settings to externalize Mavi’s internal conflict. Hamburg is rendered with a cooler, more restrained palette, reflecting the orderly life Mavi is leaving, while Istanbul is saturated with warmth and vibrancy, mirroring the glamour and chaos of her new reality. The sonic landscape operates with similar precision, utilizing both a composer and a music supervisor. The score by Ali N. Askin, a composer familiar with German-Turkish cinematic themes from his work on A Spicy Kraut, charts Mavi’s subjective emotional journey. This is complemented by the work of music supervisor Thomas Binar, who curates specific, pre-existing German and Turkish songs that serve as objective cultural signifiers. This dual approach to sound design immerses the viewer completely in Mavi’s psychological and cultural dislocation, making the film’s world both emotionally resonant and culturally specific. The film, a production of CB Medya in cooperation with Dark Bay, was shot on location in Hamburg, Istanbul, and Cappadocia.

Ultimately, She Said Maybe functions as a prime example of a modern transnational narrative. It successfully integrates a nuanced exploration of diasporic identity within the commercially accessible conventions of a romantic comedy. The film’s thoughtful construction—from its hybrid script and synergistic direction to its psychologically grounded performances and dialectical technical design—results in a work that is both an escapist piece of entertainment and a substantive commentary on the complexities of belonging in a globalized world. The movie premiered exclusively on Netflix on September 19, 2025.