Crossing The Bridge, New Turkish Cinema.

”If life were fair and film exhibition better, you could watch Fatih Akin’s musical mystery tour “Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul” while standing up, or, more ideally, while swaying, spinning and shimmying. An infectiously enjoyable survey of contemporary Turkish music, the documentary works as a corollary to Mr. Akin’s breakout fiction film, “Head-On.” A tough-love romance about cultural identity and the sustaining joys of punk rock, that film brought Mr. Akin, a German native born to Turkish immigrants, international acclaim. This new film feels like something of a gift, as if the director had decided to burn some of his favorite songs for his newfound friends, the world-cinema audience”. (Manohla Dargis, The New York Times.)

The Metropolis Association and the Izmir Cinema Association, in partnership with the Turkish Embassy in Lebanon, are glad to present the 2nd edition of the cycle New Turkish Cinema. 12 films of different genres will be screened at Metropolis Empire Sofil between the 5th and the 11th of March 2012, including a special selection of the reclaimed director Fatih Akin.

The festival will be opened with Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s film Once upon a time in Anatolia (winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes Film Festival in 2011). The audience will also have the chance to see the latest film of Tyfun Piselimoglu Hair, as well as the favorites of the Turkish film festival such as What Remains by Cigdem Vitrinel, Zephyr by Belma Bas and Cosmos by Reha Erdem. In addition to this, the cycle will present the debut film of Seren Yuce Majority (winner of the Lion of the Future, Venice Film Festival 2010).

A special selection of the reclaimed director Fatih Akin will be selected: the romantic comedy In July (2000), the awarded Torino (2002), the reclaimed Head-On (winner of the Golden Bear, Berlin Film Festival 2004) and the documentary Crossing the Bridge: the Sound of Istanbul (2005).

Special Formula:Film duation: 90 minutes.