Turkey: Islamic colossal film idolises the fall of Constantinople

(ANSAmed) – ANKARA, FEBRUARY 20 – The colossal Turkish film ”Fetih 1453” (The Conquest 1453), about Constantinople’s capture by the Ottoman Turks, is drawing in many viewers, but has been criticised over its allegedly excessive Islamic nationalism by one of the most important Turkish artists, pianist and composer Fazil Say.

The artist, newspaper Milliyet reports, has released a written statement in which he denies his involvement in the film’s soundtrack, and confirms that he has stepped out of the project due to its megalomania, which oozes from the film in his words.

The film lacks artistic value, Say continues, and idolises nationalism, potentially creating problems for viewers from different cultures. ”Conquest 1453” describes the conquest of Constantinople (today’s Istanbul) by Sultan Mehmed II. It was screened for the first time on Thursday in more than 130 theatres at exactly the same time, starting at 14:53h. The film has already made history because of its budget, 17 million USD, making it the most expensive production ever in Turkey. There are battle scenes with 15,000 extras and special effects in 3D showing the ancient Byzantium, guaranteeing the film’s success. The media has given much attention to the production and the playbill with the bearded Mehmed II leaning on his sword, while hordes of Ottoman Turks attack the walls of Constantinople, can be seen everywhere. It is only the second time a film is made about the conquest of Constantinople, after the first one in 1951. The event used to be marginalised in history, but has gained importance in the eyes of the new Turkey under Erdogan, which has abandoned the focus on the West of the founder of modern Turkey, Kemal Ataturk, and now looks with pride at the glorious past of the empire that covered three continents. The same continents in fact that are on the maps of the so-called ”neo-Ottoman” diplomacy, a term that Turkey does not appreciate. The film’s trailer starts with a phrase attributed to Mohammed, who prophesies that Mehmed will conquer Constantinople. ”It is sad,” writes an opposition newspaper, ”but millions of Turks will see this film and feel proud of their ancestors, showing ”our greatness” to their children.” Apart from the criticism on the film’s nationalism by composer Say and by a part of the Turkish press, two protests that accompanied the film’s launch have drawn some attention, Turkish websites report. In Germany the Christian association Via Dolorosa from Koln has urged people to boycott the film, because the Turks should be ashamed of what they have done to the Christians instead of glorifying the conquest of Constantinople, the association claims. And in Greece, the weekly To proto Thema has called Fetih 1453 a ”propaganda” film that conceals ”the mass murder of Greeks and the looting of their land by the Turks.” (ANSAmed).

via Turkey: Islamic colossal film idolises the fall of Constantinople – Turkey – ANSAMed.it.