İlkay Nişancı

The Elbistan Plain is Turkey's most fertile agricultural land and also home to the country's largest lignite deposit. Currently, two thermal power plants are crippling the entire ecosystem in the plain, and plans are underway to add six more. Turkey ranks eighth in the world for sulfur dioxide concentration, and Elbistan ranks fifth globally in this toxic race. While witnessing the narrative of how the shared dream of development is slowly turning into unshared disasters in the documentary, we see that even at the most toxic moment, life and hope are ready to sprout with care.

"Exam on the Edge of Time" follows the resilient journey of students in Turkey's earthquake-ravaged Hatay city and Samandağ district as they prepare for a life-defining university entrance exam amidst the ruins. Through the dedication of selfless teachers and the creation of an educational sanctuary, this four-part documentary delves into the unyielding spirit of a community striving to overcome the chaos, offering a poignant critique of civilization and the state, and highlighting the inequalities in the education system exposed by disaster.

The documentary questions how modern urban people respond to the ecological collapse the planet is experiencing. Expert academics in the field reveal whether the current economic order is ecologically sustainable.