Midnight Express 1978
American tourist William Hayes is vacationing in Turkey with his girlfriend Susan. Upon returning to the US, he tries to smuggle two kilos of heroin in his body to sell to his friends. However, he is caught by security officials at the airport and is sent to prison in Istanbul. The film depicts William’s time in prison, including added torture scenes and a fictionalized escape attempt. Despite being set in Turkey, the movie was actually filmed in Malta due to the Turkish government’s refusal to host the production. The film was nominated for two Oscars and won for Best Original Score and Best Adapted Screenplay. The screenplay writer, Oliver Stone, later admitted to dramatizing events in the film and apologized for misrepresenting Turkey. William Hayes has since spoken out, expressing that his experience in Turkey was not as negative as portrayed in the film.
