ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News
‘The Colors of Cultural Differences,’ a new documentary focusing on non-Turkish cultural groups in Istanbul, will soon go into wider release. ‘The artists in the film talk about their relationship to Istanbul, to their community and to their art. I tried to make it as diverse as possible with poets, writers, painters,’ says director Annie Pertan
Director Annie Pertan has 25 years of experience in the film industry and produced several films with her late husband, Ersin Pertan.
Casting a light on the various ethnic and religious groups that call Istanbul home, a new documentary called “The Colors of Cultural Differences” is set for showing in various showings throughout the city in the near future.
“People should see ‘The Colors of Cultural Differences’ several times in order to understand the many levels presented,” director Annie Pertan recently told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. “The artists in the film talk about their relationship to the city of Istanbul, to their community and to their art. I talked to the heads of the various minority communities, except there aren’t so many Greeks left here any more. I tried to make it as diverse as possible – poets, writers, painters.”
The documentary, which was shown at Istanbul’s Zoğrafyon Lycee last week and the Swedish Consulate General on Monday, will be shown elsewhere in the coming days. The film was also produced with the assistance of the 2010 Istanbul European Capital of Culture Agency.
The production team had originally wanted to produce a project of six films, each of 60-90 minutes, that would cover all of Turkey – its minorities, their communities, their buildings, their history and the like, but the agency committee ruling on proposals suggested they only do one project, so they decide on “Colors,” Pertan said.
The documentary features 16 artists who were born and raised in Istanbul and tell of their continued love for the city from which they draw their inspiration.
Some of the best known artists included are Ara Güler, İzzet Keribar, Selim Sesler, Hayko Cepkin, Giovanni Scognamillo and Suzi Hug Levi.
All those featured speak against the background of the city – some of the shots are from the water, some from the air. Avoiding any glossing over of their difficulties of living in the city, the artists touch on the problems of life in Istanbul as a member of non-dominant ethnic or religious groups.
Ultimately, Pertan said the city was like ebru, the Ottoman art form in which colors are spread over a liquid mixture – never mixing, yet still creating a picture.
The project was filmed over a three-month period – March, April and May 2010 – using two cameras while the editing and sound track work was conducted in Denmark. Bobbie Pertan, meanwhile, was the co-director on the film and handled the technical details.
Pertan said she hoped to complete work on the film and subtitles before submitting the final production to various documentary festivals around the world.
Many years of experience in film industry
Born of a Norwegian father and a Greek mother in Istanbul, Pertan studied in Oslo and in Paris but later decided to settle in Istanbul.
Pertan has 25 years of experience in the film industry and started as an art director for an early Halit Refiğ television film, “Aşk-ı Memnu.”
She has also been a production designer and producer. Several of the films she produced were with her late husband, Ersin Pertan, who died last year.
The director said her next project would be “Istanbul – City of Miracles” – although the project is contingent upon finding financing. She said she would like to film places where miracles are said to have occurred, such as holy springs, türbes (shrines) and other such area, combining those scenes with interviews with people who have experienced miracles.
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