‘The Gift’ is the second Turkish original supernatural drama on Netflix, it’s an archaeology mystery thriller fronted by Beren Saat, who is best-known for playing the lead in female empowerment drama “Fatmagul,” which was a global hit. Shooting has started in Istanbul, with British producer Alex Sutherland (“Argo”) shepherding the eight-episode show, which is produced by Turkey’s OG Medya for Netflix. Netflix has already commissioned two seasons of ‘The Gift’. Sow is all set to arrive on December 27, 2019.
Saat, who is among the country’s highest-paid talents, will play a young Istanbul artist named Atiye, whose life changes when she encounters an archaeologist. A discovery is made at the site of an ancient temple, called Gobeklitepe, where secrets of her past are hidden, according to promotional materials.
“We are thrilled to be working with Beren in her return to series as she brings a dynamic female character like Atiye to life,” said Kelly Luegenbiehl, Netflix Vice President of International Originals, in a statement. “The journey from Istanbul to Gobeklitepe and Nemrut, passing through Anatolia, provides a connection between the spiritual world and the material world” according to the statement.
Netflix’s first Turkish original, “The Protector,” which also toplined a big local star and had a supernatural element, went out in 190 territories last December and scored more than 10 million views in the first four weeks, according to the streaming giant.
Netflix has published a trailer on November 27, 2019, along with a detailed description, “The Gift. December 27th. Only on Netflix. The series follows the life of Atiye, a young and beautiful painter that leads the perfect life in Istanbul. She has a loving family, a wealthy and lovable boyfriend, and to top it all off, she is about to open her first solo exhibition. But her perfect life is about to change with a discovery made in the most ancient temple on Earth, Gobeklitepe. An archeologist named Erhan discovers a symbol in the ruins, a symbol that connects Atiye to Gobeklitepe in a mysterious way. And now, Atiye will turn her life upside down and spark a quest to discover the secrets of her past, secrets hidden within those ancient ruins.” Continued, “A painter in Istanbul embarks on a personal journey as she unearths universal secrets about an Anatolian archaeological site and its link to her past.” Check out the trailer above.