CROSSING THE BRIDGE The Sound of Istanbul

Germany, 2005, 90 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Fatih Akin.

Fatih Akin is a German with a Turkish background. He achieved prominence with his hard-hitting look at Turkish migrants in Hamburg trying to cope with displacement, rigid traditions and physical and mental collapse and how they dealt with a return to Turkey, Head On (Gegen die Wand). His film won the Golden Bear in Berlin, 2004.

He has now returned himself to Istanbul because he was fascinated by the Turkish musical heritage there, from the popular songs of the 60s and 70s to rock and roll and the new movements. For those who are into contemporary music, this is a must. For those who are not, it’s better left alone – except that the film does have a good amount of photography of the city.