The cinema of Turkey in Istanbul 2010 has experienced in more recent years and Renaissance after a few dismal years of films in the period of the 1960s – 70s. With such new and talented film directors emerging such as Fatih Akın (German director of Turkish descent whose films reflect the modern Turkish situation, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, and Yesim Ustaoglu (female director – Pandora’s Box), and Yılmaz Güney, Turkish films have come to the forefront of world class cinema.
Istanbul 2010 Cinema Projects
Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture projects aim to promote this growth in Turkish cinema with a wealth of upcoming film projects.
The 9th !f Istanbul AFM International Independent Film Festival in collaboration with “The Auteurs” an American film website, begins February 11 – 21 in Istanbul and continues in Ankara February 25 – 28. Funding for the Film Festival has been provided by the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture agency. Films showcasing at the film festival include: “Fantastic Mr. Fox”, “Precious”, “The Maid”, “An Education”, “Crazy Heart” and “Un Prohet” and “The Lovely Bones”. The festival will be hosted by Kurdish Iranian film director Bahman Ghobadi, who has been banned from Iran for making a film about the underground music scene in Tehran. The award winning film “No One Knows About Persian Cats” irritated Iranian authorities who don’t like music.
Other Istanbul 2010 Film Projects
Secrets of Istanbul
A documentary drama featuring the mystical city of Istanbul in the context of modern day Istanbul and its distinctive cultural urban legends. This film project is led by Nakiye Boran of Publicis Bold+ Agency. Scheduled for January 2010, at St. Irene.
Filmor – The 5th Element – Women – Woman Friendly City Istanbul
Melek Özman will train participants cinema workshop seminars and their resulting film projects will be presented
“İstanbul Beyazperde Kitabı” (The Silver Screen Book of İstanbul) – a discussion of films based in Istanbul.
“10 İstanbul”
Ten foreign directors from present their perspective of 10 different neighborhoods of Istanbul.
“Türk Sinemasında İstanbul” (İstanbul in Turkish Cinema)
A documentary showing various locations in Istanbul and how these film locations have changed over time.
Istanbul Goes to the Movies – January – February 2010
Director Safa Önal, a scriptwriter and director, will attempt to explain İstanbul by way of a visual archive and its evolution of language and culture, featuring over 7000 films and images.
Istanpoli:
“Claude Wampler” February 24, 2010
“Michael Laub” April 28, 2010
“Meg Stuart” September, 2010
“Rimini” September, 2010
This project brings five foreign artists, living in the city of Istanbul and inspired by the city of Istanbul and documented in a DVD and book.
Image source
Istanbul 2010 - Ortakoy Mosque
No doubt, if you are going to be visiting Istanbul in the year 2010, you are going to need a hotel to stay in. This is definitely the year to visit the city of Istanbul if you are in any way interested in art, culture, film, literature and photography, and especially in the Istanbul arena.
There are plenty of hotels in Istanbul to choose from no matter what your budget. There are many splendid luxury hotels in Istanbul to choose from as well as those in the lower price range, whether it be hostels, bed and breakfast inns, or cheap hotels in Istanbul. If you are looking for budget hotels in Istanbul, visit this helpful site: http://budgethotelsistanbul.com/
While in Istanbul you will also be able to sample some of the most delicious cuisine in the world at the many fabulous restaurants in the Istanbul. Restaurants come in all price ranges. Also, be sure to enjoy some Turkish coffee in one of the many cafes of the city and just relax or people watch.
The nightlife in Istanbul is also very lively, whether you want to dance at a nightclub, listen to jazz music, Turkish music or a blend of all — in fusion. There are so many nightclubs and bars in Istanbul because it is truly an international city.
The problem will be booking a hotel of your choice. Istanbul is overflowing with tourists this year and hotels are being booked up very quickly. As soon as you make plans to go to Istanbul, make your reservations on time, in plenty of time. Tourism in Istanbul will definitely increase this year which will be great for the city.
There is so much to see in Istanbul this year as Istanbul opens her arms to the world to display her cultural wonders and works.
A visit to Istanbul will show you what an inspirational city this is to artists and just about everybody there is.
Istanbul 2010 Capital of Culture
Literature brought to the masses within the city of Istanbul and beyond its borders is the overall theme of the Literature projects in Istanbul 2010 Capital of Culture. It will be an attempt to expose the diversity of Istanbul’s identity, its culture and its many faces. It is hoped that the Literature Istanbul 2010 will bridge international cultures, local and international city centers of literature. It is believed that Istanbul “has long deserved to be ‘the capital of literature.’ With great authors coming out of this city such as Orhan Pamuk, a native of Istanbul and Nobel prize winner, this is, indeed, deserving.
Literary Projects at Istanbul 2010:
40 Districts 40 Books by 40 Authors: ‘My Istanbul’ series at Tüyap 2009:
40 distinguished authors, born and bred in 40 different neighbourhoods of istanbul told the tales of “My Istanbul.” Encompassing memory, thought, spirit and emotion from different identities, this project came to be with the assistance of the with Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Literature Directorate and Heyamola Publications.
Editors Ömer Asan, Eray Canberk, Gülsüm Cengiz and Süleyman Faruk are in the process of preparing 40 books at the Tüyap Istanbul Book Fair starting October 31 – November 8, 2010.
The authors and their neighbourhoods involved in this project include Abdullah Uçman-Fatih, Adnan Özer-Gaziosmanpaşa, Adnan Özyalçıner-Karagümrük, Ali Taygun-Kurtuluş, Alim Kahraman-Bağlarbaşı, Ari Çokona-Fener, Ataol Behramoğlu-Adalar, Ayşe Sarısayın-Beşiktaş, Beşir Ayvazoğlu-Beyazıt, Celal Özcan-Göztepe, Cüneyt Altunç-Suadiye, Doğan Hızlan-Kocamustafapaşa, Enver Aysever-Ataköy, Eray Canberk-Feneryolu, Gönül Kıvılcım-Karaköy, Gülsüm Cengiz-Kuzguncuk, Gündüz Vassaf-Levent, Haluk Dursun-Boğaziçi, Hasan Öztoprak-Draman, Haydar Ergülen-Cihangir, Hıfzı Topuz-Nişantaşı, Hilmi Alişanoğlu-Çarşamba, Hulki Aktunç-Kadıköy, Hüseyin Alemdar-Yeşilçam, İzel Rozental-Moda, Mine Söğüt-Dolapdere, Nail Güreli-Cağaloğlu, Nusret Karaca-Haliç, Oğuz Karakartal-Anadoluhisarı, Orhan Okay-Balat, Ömer Erdem-Üsküdar, Öner Ciravoğlu-Fındıkzade, Refet Özkan-Maltepe, Reyhan Çorak-Çengelköy, Saadet Özkal-Şişli, Selçuk Erez-Bakırköy, Sema Kancan-Beykoz, Sennur Sezer-Kasımpaşa, Süleyman Faruk Göncüoğlu-Eyüp, Zeynep Melisa Erdönmez-Yeldeğirmeni.
Other literary projects for the Istanbul 2010 project include:
- A Season for Literature:A Season for Literature is a literature festival presented through cooperation of the Writers Union of Turkey Istanbul branch and the Istanbul 2010 ECOC Agency
- The World of Selim the Third
The Vineyards and Orchards of IstanbulIstanbul Tales
- Our Social and Cultural History Revealed: Qadi Registers of Istanbul Courts Getting Published…
- International Poetry Festival – May 11 – 18, 2010
- Writing Competition for Young Writers
- ‘İstanbul’da Ölmeden Yapmanız Gereken 101 Şey’ (101 Things You Must Do in Istanbul Before You Die). A book which designs/creates the venues.
- City of Two Continents
Photo courtesy of Istanbul 2010.org
