At the 'House of Cinema', a series of meetings dedicated to Eastern cinema continues - focusing on two major national traditions that have defined the face of global festival cinema. Turkey and Iran have gifted the world their own versions of the 'new wave', reflecting social changes and the search for an authorial voice amidst cultural and political challenges. The first lecture will focus on Turkish cinema. It will discuss how the 'new wave', which emerged in the late 1960s, reflected the contradictions of the era - social inequality, mass migration from rural areas to cities, political repression, and identity crisis. Directors moved away from conventional melodrama, opting for psychological depth and restraint, with nostalgia as a recurring theme - romanticizing the past or the melancholy of loss. The second lecture will turn to the Iranian 'new wave'. From Kiarostami and Majidi to Panahi and Farhadi - this cinema combines social realism with poetic and symbolic elements, and the apparent simplicity of the narrative conceals sharp philosophical and ethical reflection. The Cannes Film Festival, the Oscars, and global recognition have made Iranian cinema one of the key players on the international stage. However, behind the loud successes lies a constant struggle of authors against censorship and restrictions. This dialogue between the personal freedom of the artist and the constraints of the state has become the foundation of the 'Iranian canon'. Both lectures will not only immerse you in the aesthetics of Turkish and Iranian cinema but also help you see how national culture can become a universal language for discussing human dignity, loneliness, hope, and loss. This series of meetings is a rare opportunity to delve into the complex artistic processes of the Middle East, where cinema has long ceased to be merely entertainment and has transformed into a form of philosophical and sociocultural expression.