Program (2025) by Hakan Kadioglu:A Turkish sci-fi mystery where monotonous life meets AI-powered identity crisis

Summary of the Movie: Repetition breaks—then reality and virtual worlds collide with nowhere to hide

Adem's life runs on autopilot until he wakes up trapped between reality and something digital he can't escape. An AI assistant appears forcing him to face his past, and suddenly every conversation becomes interrogation about who he actually is versus who he thinks he's been. As mysteries pile up and the line between real and virtual dissolves, Adem discovers his entire existence might be the thing he understands least. Turkish sci-fi tackling identity, artificial intelligence, and the unsettling question of whether knowing yourself is even possible when nothing's solid anymore.

Monotonous life, then boom—caught between reality and virtual world with AI asking all the wrong questions.

Where to watch: https://www.amazon.com/Program-Hakan-Kadioglu/dp/B0GCKF27KB/ (US)

Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33265496/

• Genre: Sci-fi mystery thriller—AI-powered identity crisis where virtual and real worlds blur until protagonist can't tell which version of himself is actual

• Movie plot: Adem lives repetitive monotonous existence until he finds himself caught between reality and virtual realm he didn't choose; there he encounters AI assistant that forces him to confront his past through uncomfortable questions and revelations; as Adem interacts with the AI and unravels mysteries surrounding his life, he begins questioning his own identity and the very nature of his existence while everything he thought he knew collapses into uncertainty

• Movie themes: Identity crisis through AI interrogation, the terror of not knowing which reality you're actually living in, how monotonous life makes you vulnerable to existential collapse, whether confronting your past through digital proxy counts as real self-discovery, the uncanny valley of AI that knows you better than you know yourself

• Movie trend: AI assistant psychological thrillers—films using artificial intelligence as mirror forcing protagonists to confront uncomfortable truths about themselves they've been avoiding

• Social trend: Reflects anxiety about AI knowing us better than we know ourselves—as chatbots and assistants collect data, the fear that technology might reveal truths we've hidden even from ourselves becomes real

• Movie director: Hakan Kadioglu writes and directs—Turkish filmmaker tackling sci-fi territory that typically belongs to bigger-budget Hollywood productions, proving conceptual ideas work regardless of resources

• Top casting: Kadir Anil Adigüzel as Adem carries the weight of man questioning his entire existence; Erdem Anil Ucar as Yusuf, Gülcin Efe as Rüya round out cast navigating between real and virtual worlds

• Awards and recognition: 6.3 IMDb across 54 user reviews—mostly positive reactions praising subtle tension and natural character development despite occasional pacing issues

• Release and availability: November 8, 2025 US release; Turkish production shot in Ankara on TRL 2M budget (~$58K USD), $1,472 worldwide box office signals extremely limited theatrical run

• Why to watch movie: Turkish sci-fi tackling AI identity crisis on micro-budget—proves conceptual psychological thrillers don't need expensive effects when ideas are strong enough

• Key Success Factors: Builds tension through subtlety rather than spectacle—quiet moments, glances, pauses say more than dramatic confrontations; focuses on psychological weight of not knowing which reality you're in rather than flashy virtual world effects; believable edge despite low budget because it prioritizes ideas over visuals

Insights: AI doesn't need to be evil—just knowing you better than you know yourself is terrifying enough

Industry Insight: Turkish cinema producing ambitious sci-fi on micro-budgets proves conceptual ideas travel internationally even when production values are modest—festivals and niche audiences respond to ideas over spectacle. Consumer Insight: Audiences tired of AI apocalypse stories respond to psychological approach—the terror isn't robots taking over, it's artificial intelligence revealing truths about yourself you've been hiding. Brand Insight: Minimal box office ($1,472 worldwide) doesn't mean failure for micro-budget conceptual work—these films succeed through streaming discovery and cult following rather than theatrical runs.

Reviews consistently praise how naturally tension builds without cheap tricks—the sense of being watched, struggling with trust, constant pressure of making wrong moves all feel believable despite limited budget. Some scenes run longer than needed and pacing isn't always consistent, but the overall build-up works. The AI assistant interrogation scenes create intimate psychological horror without requiring expensive effects—just Adem forced to answer questions about his own life that increasingly don't add up. Turkish production values are visible (modest sets, limited locations, primarily Ankara-based shooting) but reviewers note the grounded relatable vibe makes it easy to connect with characters regardless.

Why It Is Trending: AI identity crisis hits different when it's personal interrogation not robot uprising

Program arrives exactly when everyone's using ChatGPT and wondering what AI really knows about them. But instead of the usual apocalypse scenario, this goes intimate and psychological—what if AI doesn't destroy humanity, it just forces you to face uncomfortable truths about yourself you've been avoiding? That shift from external threat to internal crisis resonates.

• Concept → consequence: AI assistant as therapist/interrogator combo—not fighting robots but answering questions that reveal your entire self-understanding might be built on lies you've been telling yourself

• Culture → visibility: Turkish sci-fi finding international attention through niche streaming and festival circuits—proves conceptual psychological thrillers work across cultural boundaries when ideas are universal

• Distribution → discovery: $1,472 box office is essentially non-existent theatrical run, but that's not the point—these films succeed through VOD, streaming platforms, and cult discovery online

• Timing → perception: Drops exactly when AI assistants are everywhere and everyone's wondering what data they're collecting and what it reveals—using that anxiety for psychological horror rather than action spectacle

• Performance → relatability: Adem's monotonous life breaking apart resonates post-pandemic—feeling like you're on autopilot until something forces you to wake up and realize you don't recognize yourself anymore

Insights: The scariest AI doesn't kill you—it just asks questions you can't answer about yourself

Industry Insight: Micro-budget international sci-fi competes on ideas when execution focuses on psychological tension over visual effects—Turkish production proving you don't need Hollywood money for compelling AI stories. Consumer Insight: Audiences respond to "slow build" tension over explosive action—reviewers specifically praising how naturally story develops without rushing or trying to impress with dramatic twists. Brand Insight: AI-powered identity crisis feels more immediate than robot apocalypse—taps into real anxiety people have about chatbots and assistants knowing them through data collection.

Program trends because it's doing something different with familiar AI anxiety. Instead of Terminator-style uprising or Black Mirror tech-horror spectacle, it goes intimate: one guy, one AI assistant, questions about his past that don't have easy answers. Reviews noting "surprisingly relatable" and "believable edge" suggest the low-budget approach actually helps—no fancy effects to distract from core psychological tension. Turkish filmmakers proving sci-fi concepts work internationally when grounded in universal fears about identity and self-knowledge. The repetitive monotonous life setup resonates with anyone who's felt stuck on autopilot, and the AI forcing confrontation with past becomes metaphor for any wake-up call that shatters comfortable delusions.

What Movie Trend Is Followed: AI-powered psychological interrogation films—technology as mirror forcing self-confrontation

Program belongs to emerging micro-budget sci-fi using AI not as external threat but as psychological tool forcing protagonists to face uncomfortable truths. The trend evolved from classic identity crisis narratives through contemporary tech anxiety into films where artificial intelligence functions as therapist/interrogator revealing gaps in self-knowledge protagonists didn't know existed.

• Format lifecycle: Started with classic identity crisis sci-fi (Total Recall, The Matrix questioning reality), evolved through Black Mirror's tech-horror approach, now landing in intimate psychological thrillers where AI assistants become mirrors forcing self-examination rather than external villains

• Aesthetic logic: Minimal effects budget forces focus on dialogue and psychological tension—AI interrogation scenes work through conversation and mounting unease rather than flashy virtual reality visuals

• Psychological effect: Audiences experience mounting dread not from what AI might do to protagonist but from protagonist's inability to answer simple questions about his own life convincingly—horror comes from self-knowledge gaps revealed

• Genre inheritance: Pulls from Blade Runner identity questioning, Black Mirror tech paranoia, therapeutic interrogation dramas where someone forced to explain their life discovers they can't, contemporary chatbot anxiety about AI knowing you through data

Insights: The best AI horror is just uncomfortable therapy you can't escape

Industry Insight: Micro-budget sci-fi focusing on psychological interrogation over visual spectacle creates export-ready content—language and culture matter less when core concept is universal. Consumer Insight: AI assistant anxiety is real and growing—audiences respond to films exploring what happens when technology knows you better than you know yourself without apocalypse scenarios. Brand Insight: Turkish cinema competing in international sci-fi market by prioritizing ideas over production values—proves conceptual strength compensates for modest budgets when execution is grounded.

Program proves AI psychological thrillers work on tiny budgets when concept is strong. Kadioglu focuses on what's most unsettling about AI assistants: not that they might rebel, but that they might know truths about you from data patterns you didn't see. The repetitive monotonous life Adem leads before everything breaks makes the AI interrogation hit harder—when your existence is autopilot, being forced to explain it reveals how little you actually understand your own choices. Reviews noting "subtle tension" and "quiet moments saying more than louder scenes" suggest the micro-budget approach works because it can't rely on effects spectacle, forcing focus on core psychological horror of not recognizing yourself when questioned.

Trends 2026: AI identity crisis films go intimate—psychological interrogation beats robot apocalypse

Micro-budget sci-fi using AI as psychological tool rather than external threat is emerging as distinct subgenre. As chatbots and AI assistants become ubiquitous, filmmakers increasingly explore anxiety about technology knowing us through data collection better than we know ourselves through self-reflection. This creates space for intimate interrogation dramas that don't require expensive effects.

Implications:

AI films split into action spectacle (big-budget robot uprisings) and psychological interrogation (micro-budget identity crisis through algorithmic knowledge). Turkish and other non-Hollywood productions compete by prioritizing concepts over production values—proves sci-fi ideas travel internationally when grounded in universal anxieties. Streaming platforms enable micro-budget conceptual work to find audiences beyond theatrical runs—$1,472 box office becomes irrelevant when success measured through VOD discovery and cult following.

Where it is visible (industry):

International film markets seeing increased micro-budget sci-fi from Turkey, Eastern Europe, Latin America tackling AI anxiety through psychological approach rather than action spectacle. Streaming platforms licensing conceptual sci-fi that doesn't require dubbing budget because tension is visual and atmospheric. Festival programmers recognizing AI interrogation dramas as legitimate subgenre worth programming alongside bigger-budget tech thrillers. Reviews praising "slow build" and "subtle tension" signal audience appetite for psychological approach over explosive action.

Related movie trends:

• AI assistant interrogation dramas - Films where artificial intelligence forces protagonist to answer uncomfortable questions about themselves, revealing identity gaps through algorithmic knowledge

• Micro-budget international sci-fi - Turkish, Eastern European, Latin American productions proving conceptual ideas compete internationally despite modest production values

• Monotonous-life-breaks thrillers - Protagonists living on autopilot until something forces wake-up call revealing they don't recognize themselves anymore

• Virtual-real boundary dissolution - Films where characters can't tell which reality they're actually in, creating sustained psychological tension through uncertainty

Related consumer trends:

• Chatbot anxiety mainstream - As AI assistants become ubiquitous, growing unease about what technology knows through data collection versus what we know through self-reflection

• Identity crisis through algorithm - Fear that AI might reveal truths about us through pattern recognition we didn't see ourselves, forcing confrontation with uncomfortable self-knowledge

• Slow-build tension preference - Audiences specifically seeking psychological thrillers that develop naturally rather than rushing to dramatic twists or action spectacle

• Streaming discovery over theatrical - Cult audiences finding micro-budget conceptual work through VOD and platforms rather than requiring theatrical runs to legitimize

The Trends: AI doesn't need to be villain—just knowing you better than you know yourself is horror enough

Trend Type	Trend Name	Description	Implications
Core Movie Trend	AI psychological interrogation cinema	Micro-budget sci-fi using artificial intelligence as tool forcing protagonists to face uncomfortable truths about identity through algorithmic knowledge rather than external threat	AI films split between action spectacle and intimate identity crisis, with growing audience for latter seeking psychological depth over visual effects
Core Consumer Trend	Chatbot self-knowledge anxiety	Growing unease about AI assistants knowing us through data patterns better than we know ourselves through reflection—fear of algorithmic revelation	Audiences respond to films exploring this specific anxiety without apocalypse scenarios—intimate psychological horror resonates more than robot uprising
Core Social Trend	Autopilot existence wake-up calls	Post-pandemic recognition that many people live on repetitive autopilot until something forces them to wake up and realize they don't recognize themselves	Films about monotonous life breaking apart resonate as universal experience—not sci-fi concept but everyday reality needing catalyst
Core Strategy	Micro-budget concept prioritization	International productions competing by focusing on strong ideas executed through dialogue and tension rather than expensive visual effects	Proves sci-fi concepts travel globally when grounded in universal anxieties—production values matter less than psychological authenticity
Core Motivation	Interrogation as self-discovery horror	Audiences drawn to films where being forced to explain your life reveals you can't—mounting dread from gaps in self-knowledge rather than external danger	Psychological horror works when intimate and relatable—AI asking uncomfortable questions scarier than AI trying to kill you

Insights: The AI apocalypse is boring—AI therapy you can't escape is terrifying

Industry Insight: Turkish cinema producing internationally viable sci-fi on micro-budgets by prioritizing psychological concepts over production spectacle—proves ideas matter more than money when execution is grounded. Consumer Insight: Reviews praising "slow build" and "natural development" signal audience appetite for psychological tension over action—AI identity crisis films finding niche through streaming discovery. Brand Insight: Minimal box office ($1,472) becomes irrelevant metric for micro-budget conceptual work—success measured through cult following and streaming reach rather than theatrical performance.

Program represents shift in AI cinema from external threat to internal crisis. Kadioglu proves you don't need Hollywood budget to explore what's genuinely unsettling about artificial intelligence: not that it might rebel, but that it might know you through data collection better than you know yourself through decades of lived experience. The Turkish production competing internationally by focusing on universal anxiety—anyone using chatbots or AI assistants has wondered what patterns they're seeing, what conclusions they're drawing. That intimate psychological territory works on micro-budget because it doesn't require expensive effects, just mounting tension through conversation and protagonist's inability to answer simple questions about his own existence convincingly.

Final Verdict: Turkish sci-fi proves AI horror works best when it's just really uncomfortable questions

Program isn't trying to compete with Hollywood AI spectacle—it's carving different territory where psychological interrogation matters more than robot battles. Kadioglu takes micro-budget and turns limitation into asset by focusing on what's genuinely unsettling: AI that doesn't want to kill you, just wants answers about your life you can't give.

• Meaning: The scariest thing about AI isn't external threat—it's discovering through algorithmic questioning that you don't actually understand your own identity as well as you thought you did

• Relevance: Chatbot anxiety is mainstream now—everyone using AI assistants wonders what they're learning from data patterns, making interrogation scenario feel immediate rather than distant sci-fi

• Endurance: Micro-budget means this succeeds through streaming discovery rather than theatrical—cult following emerges organically when audiences seeking psychological AI stories find it online

• Legacy: Proves Turkish cinema can compete in international sci-fi market by prioritizing concepts over production values—opens doors for more non-Hollywood psychological tech thrillers

Insights: Forget robot uprisings—AI just asking questions you can't answer is scarier

Industry Insight: Micro-budget international sci-fi finds audiences when psychological concept is strong enough to compensate for modest production values—ideas travel better than expensive effects. Consumer Insight: Reviews consistently praising "subtle tension" and "natural development" prove audience exists specifically for slow-build psychological approach over action spectacle. Brand Insight: $1,472 box office becomes meaningless metric—streaming platforms and VOD create alternative success path where cult discovery matters more than theatrical performance.

Program won't satisfy viewers wanting explosive AI action or Matrix-style effects spectacle. But if you want intimate psychological horror where artificial intelligence becomes uncomfortable therapist forcing you to explain life choices that increasingly don't add up, it delivers on micro-budget. The Turkish production values are visible—modest sets, limited locations, Ankara-based shooting—but reviewers note the grounded approach actually helps believability. Adem's monotonous life breaking apart resonates as universal experience, and the AI interrogation creates mounting dread through what's unsaid rather than what's shown. It's proof that the best AI horror doesn't need expensive effects—just uncomfortable questions nobody's ready to answer about themselves.