International Cinema Festival of India

Turkey has featured as the setting for many great films. There is a productive industry within Turkey, that produces many films set there, for this country and more specifically its great city Istanbul, has caught the attention of many film makers from many different places. Art house films, and blockbusters alive, therefore, have taken this spectacular country for their setting, and what follows is brief look at a few of these films.

Based on the 1957 novel by Ian Fleming, ‘From Russia with Love’ (1963) is probably the most famous film that takes place in Turkey. Directed by Terrence Young, and staring the incredible Sean Connery, the film concerns a fictitious government agent called James Bond. Though much of the film was shot on scene in Turkey, many of the action scenes were made in Scotland and Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire.

Another extremely famous film set in Turkey is ‘Midnight Express’, (1978) based on the autobiography by Billy Hayes, and adapted for film by Oliver Stone. It concerns events in Hayes life during which he was arrested for trying to smuggle hashish out of Turkey. The film deviates from the book in many places, and it has been criticised for some of these changes regarding the portrayal of the Turks.

These films have both been British and American, respectively, yet it is important to take note of the great Turkish films that have taken their home country as their setting. The 2010 film ‘The Crossing’, directed by Selim Demirdelen, for example is a drama about a loving relationship between father and daughter that isn’t all that it seems. It was shown at several international film festivals and won awards at the 17th Adana “Golden Boll” International Film Festival.

Another famous Turkish film is the Fatih Akin documentary ‘Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul’, which explores the modern music scene of Istanbul. In the film, the German musician Alexander Hacke and the director travel around in a mobile recording studio to compile a representation of the diverse music heard in this great city. It is clear Turkey has been a great influence and inspiration for the international film industry.

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