Turkish horror cinema has a deep relationship with collective memory and traumas, offering audiences both a familiar and uncanny experience. This study examines the reflections of collective memory in Turkish horror cinema and reveals the function of this cinema in confronting and dramatising social traumas. Specifically, how collective memory, traumatic memory, and spatial reminders are represented in Turkish horror cinema is examined in the films Küçük Kıyamet (Durul Taylan and Yağmur Taylan, 2006) and Musallat (Alper Mestçi, 2007). Furthermore, Baskın: Karabasan (Can Evrenol, 2015). Turkish horror cinema reflects collective memory through its in-depth treatment of religious and mythological elements. Supernatural beings and Islamic beliefs in Turkish culture enrich the atmosphere of horror films, offering audiences both a familiar and frightening experience. In this context, Turkish horror cinema plays an important role in reflecting the fears and beliefs in the social subconscious. The films analysed are important examples of this cinema’s relationship with collective memory and its function of confronting social traumas.

As a film that deals with the trauma of the 1999 Marmara Earthquake, Küçük Kıyamet presents a cinematic reflection of a disaster that has left deep traces in collective memory. While the film deals with the fear and trauma experienced after the earthquake through a metaphorical narrative, the fear and uncertainty experienced by the characters symbolise the general mood of the society. The fears and traumatic experiences Bilge constructs in her mind constitute the main theme of the film. In particular, the empty tombstones and claustrophobic scenes under the rubble powerfully represent Turkey’s earthquake trauma and its effects on collective memory.

The movie Musallat, on the other hand, combines the migration experience of the Turkish community and alienation with the theme of fear. The spatial context in Germany reminds us of loneliness, migration and isolation, while reinforcing the sense of isolation in the horror film. The figure of the genie and the supernatural events in the film blend with the fears of Turkish mythology and Islamic beliefs to create an eerie experience for the audience. While Musallat deals with social traumas such as immigration and settlement problems, it also reveals the fear and uneasiness that these traumas create in individuals. Baskın: Karabasan presents the spatial expression of fear and anxiety embedded in collective memory through the abandoned state of an Ottoman-era police station. The police station is represented not only as a symbol of security and state authority but also as a symbol of oppressive rule and injustice. While the dark and labyrinthine structure of the film creates unease in the viewer, the historical and spatial context of the police station emphasises the elements of fear in collective memory. Police stations can be considered spatial reflections of events such as military coups, police brutality, and political repression.

Spatial memory also plays an important role in Turkish horror cinema. Pierre Nora’s concept of «lieux de mémoire» explains how fear is remembered through specific spaces and becomes a part of collective memory. In Turkish horror films, places such as abandoned houses, cemeteries, and mausoleums are used as sites of memory associated with fear. These places provide the audience with a frightening experience, and thus concretise the memories associated with fear in the collective memory.

As a result, Turkish horror cinema contributes to keeping alive and reproducing social memories and traumatic experiences. By dramatising traumatic memory, these films offer audiences the opportunity to confront past traumas and help them be accepted as part of collective memory. Turkish horror cinema assumes a therapeutic function on both individual and societal levels, enabling viewers to deal with past traumas in a healthier way.