Crossing the Bridge
Faith Aiken has given us a beautiful look into Istanbul with these 'interviews,' gorgeous black and white photographs, some cool camera set ups (hard to describe, it's a subtle touch that just 'feels right', you know?), and music, music, music.
What makes it stand out in my mind is that is is made by a German/Turkish director living in the west. It seems only appropriate that a musical documentary shot in the historically divided and tumultuous city of Istanbul (Constantinople, renamed Istanbul by the Republic of Turkey in 1930) be done by him.
"Crossing the Bridge - The Sound of Istanbul" continues with some of the themes he posited in his 2005 award-winning film "Head On" (which raised a minor scandal when it was found out that the lead actress was a former porn-star), where the German/Turkish young lovers are trying to navigate the problems of eastern values clashing with the west. But here in Istanbul instead of a tangled young romance, we are seeing and hearing the east/west differences and harmonies via traditional Turkish music playing right alongside western music - hip hop, rock, even 'jazz' from a group of Romanian gypsies. Wow. This is a cool film, and personally, I believe it's bridges like these that can bring us a little closer to the east, maybe in a small way understand a little better, get past the walls which have divided us for two thousand years. A little overly-dramatic? Yes, I suppose. But I guess I still believe that film, as such a powerful artistic medium, has a hopeful potential to bring us together.
What makes it stand out in my mind is that is is made by a German/Turkish director living in the west. It seems only appropriate that a musical documentary shot in the historically divided and tumultuous city of Istanbul (Constantinople, renamed Istanbul by the Republic of Turkey in 1930) be done by him.
"Crossing the Bridge - The Sound of Istanbul" continues with some of the themes he posited in his 2005 award-winning film "Head On" (which raised a minor scandal when it was found out that the lead actress was a former porn-star), where the German/Turkish young lovers are trying to navigate the problems of eastern values clashing with the west. But here in Istanbul instead of a tangled young romance, we are seeing and hearing the east/west differences and harmonies via traditional Turkish music playing right alongside western music - hip hop, rock, even 'jazz' from a group of Romanian gypsies. Wow. This is a cool film, and personally, I believe it's bridges like these that can bring us a little closer to the east, maybe in a small way understand a little better, get past the walls which have divided us for two thousand years. A little overly-dramatic? Yes, I suppose. But I guess I still believe that film, as such a powerful artistic medium, has a hopeful potential to bring us together.
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