Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul (2005)

Director:

Fatih Akin

Writer:

Fatih Akin (writer)

Release Date:

27 May 2005 (Turkey)

Genre:

Documentary | Music

Plot Keywords:

Tour Bus | Archive Footage | Place Name In Title | Singer | Cape

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Alexander Hacke	...	Himself
Baba Zula	...	Themselves
Orient Expressions	...	Themselves
Duman	...	Themselves
Replikas	...	Themselves
Erkin Koray	...	Himself
Ceza	...	Himself
Istanbul Style Breakers	...	Themselves
MercanDede	...	Himself
Selim Sesler	...	Himself
Brenna MacCrimmon	...	Herself
Siyasiyabend	...	Themselves
Orhan Gencebay	...	Himself
Müzeyyen Senar	...	Herself
Sezen Aksu	...	Herself

Also Known As:

Istanbul hatirasi - Köprüyü geçmek (Turkey: Turkish title)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

Germany | Turkey

Language:

English | German | Turkish

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Brazil:Livre | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | UK:12A | Sweden:7 | Finland:S | Finland:K-3 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Grand Hôtel de Londres aka Büyük Londra Oteli, Istanbul, Turkey

Company:

Corazón International

Trivia:

Rivalry amongst various Turkish musicians as to who was going to be in the film was very intense. Percussionist Burhan Öçal told the press that he was featured heavily. His remarks led to several other musicians pulling out of the project as they didn't want Ocal to get more time than them. Ironically, Ocal didn't make the final cut at all.

Movie Connections:

References Gegen die Wand (2004)

Surprising highlight of the London Film Festival

Crossing the Bridge: the Sound of Istanbul received one of the most rapturous applause from the audience when it ended and very deservingly so. I did not expect too much from a musical documentary but the movie proved to be much more than that. It was also a visual documentary of Istanbul with stark contrasts of old and new, western and eastern, poor and rich, modern and traditional. Black and white photographs of old Istanbul by world famous Armenian photographer Ara Guler were exceptional. But of course main theme was music, and by God, what a variety of it! It was in a way similar to Bueno Vistas Social Club; the love and the respect of the interviewer -Alexander Hacke here replacing Ray Cooder- for the musicians exuded from the screen and engulfed us all. The music was mostly very interesting. The jazz session by a group of Romany gypsies in a small Western Turkish town was mind blowing. I will not be surprised if the travel agents start getting group booking requests for Kesan after the movie is released. But I most loved Muzeyyen Senar who looked amazingly elegant in a sort of burlesque way and whilst tipping her "Raki" declared courageously: "My voice and I are 86 years old!" Well done Faith Akin. I bet there are many more Turkish musicians who are feeling left out: Go for Volume II please.