Zülfü Livaneli

Omer Zulfu Livaneli was born in Ilgin, Turkey in 1946. After being held under military detention for three months during the coup of March 12th, 1971, he had to leave Turkey and move to Sweden. After Stockholm, he lived in Paris and Athens, and he returned to Turkey in 1984.

Livaneli’s latest novel “Leyla’s House” was published in Turkey in May 2006. His third novel “Bliss”, published in 2002, also a number one best-seller, made 44 editions, became almost a cult work and is recently adapted to cinema in Turkey. In 2005, “Bliss” was published in Greece and Sweden, and in 2006, it was published in France by Gallimard, in the United States by St.Martin’s Press and in Italy by Gremese. Immediately after its publication in the latter, Bliss was awarded by Barnes & Noble, the biggest bookstore chain in the world, with the annually given “Discover Great New Authors” award due to its “superior literary value”. Bliss will soon be published in Norway by Gylendal and in Netherlands by Prometheus/ Bert Bakker. His second novel “One Cat One Man One Death”, his first novel “The Eunuch of Constantinople” and a collection of his stories titled “A Child in Purgatory” have also been published abroad.

Livaneli achieved prominent success not only as a writer but also as a musician. With his songs, which have reached cult proportions, he has had an impact on many generations of Turkish youth. His 1997 Ankara concert was attended by no less than 500 thousand people. Livaneli's songs have been recorded by well-known soloists in foreign countries. His collaborations with Mikis Theodorakis of Greece have been noted as a gesture of bringing together the two countries. He has been giving international concerts and the London Symphony Orchestra has recorded his songs. His music continues to have an impact on Turks and non-Turks alike.

Livaneli is perhaps one of the most outstanding figure in the cultural, artistic and political life of Turkey. He also has had a formative influence through his editorial and movies.

Besides being one of the foremost defenders of Turkish-Greek friendship, he has been a highly influential figure in Turkey's political life for the past 30 years.

Livaneli has been a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador since 1996.

Sources: wikipedia.org

unesco.org

Music samples:

http://www.4shared.com/file/113493262/138331d/Zulfu_Livaneli.html

Pains of Autumn - Guz Sancisi

Pains of Autumn - Guz Sancisi - Φθινοπωρινή Οδύνη

The film, almost entirely shot in and around Beyoğlu with great assistance from Beyoğlu Mayor Ahmet Misbah Demircan, reflects Istanbul on the screen as it was in 1955. Naz Erayda, Nilüfer A. Giritlioğlu and Erol Taştan are the art directors of the film, each set, costume and accessory of which was meticulously and painstakingly prepared by a thorough research of Istanbul as it was in 1955.

Set in 1955, “Güz Sancısı” depicts the story of Behçet (Murat Yıldırım), the idealist and nationalist son of a rich land owner who falls in love with his Greek neighbour Elena (Beren Saat) across from his apartment and engages in a private settling of scores with his feelings and political ideas in the setting of the 6-7 September incidents.

Behçet’s father Kamil Efendi (Tuncel Kurtiz) is a wealthy land owner in whom the government has a close interest due to his strong influence in the region and who has close links with the “deep” powers within the country’s bureaucracy. A young man cast under the shadow of his father’s strong personality, Behçet’s greatest ambition is to heed Kamil Efendi’s suggestions and take his place and rise in the world of politics. His strongest supporter in realising this goal is Kenan Bey (Hüseyin Avni Danyal), his father’s close friend and the father of his fiancée Nemika (Belçim Bilgin Erdoğan). A former bureaucrat himself, Kenan Bey is among the top executives of the “Cyprus is Turkish Association” and gives direction to deep state operations.

Behçet is conservative, calm, serious, introverted and also places great value on justice and ethics. This causes him to be often disturbed by developments in the world of politics, but he basically believes his nationalist outlook is correct, fair and realistic. He believes the Turkish nation was under siege by the western powers and that this situation was most obvious in Cyprus. In fact, he also experiences this feeling of being under siege very strongly in his private life and he falls in love with his Greek neighbour Elena. As the darkness of the tense political atmosphere slowly descends upon Beyoğlu, the uncontainable love between the two young people is trying to defend itself. As Behçet walks the political line drawn by the ever darkening colours of a militant columnist, every step he takes towards the morning of September 6th makes it harder for him to reach Elena. The two lovers who are forced to carry the heavy burden of the Turkish political life are on the “same” side in the land of love but on “different” sides in the land of their country.

Tomris Giritlioğlu and her team who have together completed very successful projects to date including “Çemberimde Gül Oya” (My Rose Embroidered Scarf) and “Hatırla Sevgili” (Remember Darling) are bringing back the past to the present once again with the film “Güz Sancısı” (Pains of Autumn). With this special project she has been working on since 2002, Tomris Giritlioğlu is making a comeback as a film director after ten years. The director’s last film “Güz Sancısı”, along with “Suyun Öte Yanı” (The Other Side of the Water) and “Salkım Hanım'ın Taneleri” (Mrs. Salkim’s Diamonds) completes the trilogy she has set as a career goal. The film will be shown in film theatres as of 23 January 2009.

The film is produced by C Yapım and Film, distributed by Özen Film and shot in cooperation with Asis Yapım. Starring in “Güz Sancısı” are Murat Yıldırım, Beren Saat, Okan Yalabık, Belçim Bilgin Erdoğan, İlker Aksum, Hüseyin Avni Danyal, Umut Kurt, Avni Yalçın, Tuncel Kurtiz and Zeliha Berksoy. The screenpay, co-authored by Etyen Mahçupyan and Nilgün Öneş is based on a novel by Yılmaz Karakoyunlu under the same title. The novel also won the Writers Association of Turkey Novel Award in 1992.

The official Web Site
http://www.guzsancisi.net/

The Greek Newpapare Kathimerini
http://trans.kathimerini.gr/4dcgi/_w_articles_qsite1_1_24/04/2009_276487

From "Eis tin poli" blog
http://eistinpolin.wordpress.com/2009/04/05/sancisi/

Anadolu'nun Kayıp Şarkıları / Lost Songs of Anatolia

Original Title: Anadolu’nun Kayip Sarkilari
English Title: Lost Songs of Anatolia
Origin: Turkey
Year: 2008
Production Company: Nezih Ünen Productions
Language: Turkish and various languages as lyrics (English subtitles)
Description: A musical voyage among exotic places and people of Anatolia, unique host of ancient civilizations, empires as well as mythologies and glory of 10 millennia.
The fruit of 350 hours of footage, more than 40,000 km traveled and 133 recorded live performances, Lost Songs of Anatolia may be the first example of its kind as a documentary-musical film. The cultural riches of Anatolia are sung in authentic performances recorded live on location spontaneously. With the modern arrangements made, an incomparable musical is formed.
While this journey is showing how music and culture is derived from life, geography and work, an exploration of Anatolia’s versatile cultures takes place on a basis of music, dance and rituals. The staggering environment surrounding these people and influencing their lifestyles contribute the lyric flow of the film.
The making of this film took more than 5 years, during which Anatolia was explored thoroughly twice, and afterwards, several additional shootings were made at spot locations. A total of 133 performances were recorded on 121 locations and 43 of them were selected to take place in the film.

Cultures taking place in the film

• Circassian Dances from Duzce
• Alevi rituel semah and folk songs from Tokat
• Horon Dance from Trabzon
• Hemsin Songs and improvisations from Rize
• Polyphonic Georgian Songs from Artvin
• Minstrel Quarrel and The Shepherd’s Love Song from Kars
• Eagle Dance from Bingol
• Bektasi Song from Tunceli
• Dengbej Song in Mus
• Cotton field workers’ Work Song from Diyarbakir
• Syriac rituals in Mardin
• Folk songs from Midyat and scenes from Harran
• Gazel from Urfa
• Barak Song from Gaziantep
• Silk producer’s Work Song in Hatay
• Folk songs and Kirtil Semah Ritual from Silifle
• Bozlak Song from Kirikkale
• Zeybek Dance and a Karacaoglan Song from Denizli
• Nomad’s music played with kemane and sipsi from Burdur. Also Lover and the Beloved Dance.
• Gypsy’s Drum and Clarion from Mugla
• Sword and Shield Game from Bursa
• Armenian and Greek Songs
• Whirling Dervishes

ASIA MINOR OVER AGAIN - Documentary Film

The Aegean Kardasia present the Documentary Film “Asia Minor Over Again” by Tahsin Isbilen in Athens “ILION” cinema, on Sunday, 22nd of March, 11:00 am. The show is supported by the Greek Film Center and the Unions of Associations of Lesvos and Samos in Attica. The Director and the Producer of the film will be available to discuss the film Subject with the audience after the show.
The Film was very recently awarded the 2nd prize by TRT and, also, has confirmed its participation in the International Film Festival of Patras, for next October.

ΠΡΟΣΚΛΗΣΗ για την Κυριακή,22 Μαρτίου 2009, 11:00
προβολή του βραβευμένου ντοκιμαντέρ «ΜΙΚΡΑ ΑΣΙΑ ΠΑΛΙ» του Τούρκου σκηνοθέτη Tahsin Isbilen, την Κυριακή 22 Μαρτίου 2009, 11:00 πμ στον Κινηματογράφο ΙΛΙΟΝ, Πατησίων και Τροίας 34, ΜΕΤΡΟ «Βικτώρια».
Η εκδήλωση, η οποία πραγματοποιείται με την ευκαιρία της επίσκεψης των Δημιουργών του Φιλμ στην Αθήνα, γίνεται με την υποστήριξη του Ελληνικού Κέντρου Κινηματογράφου και θα χαιρετήσουν η Ομοσπονδία Σαμιακών Συλλόγων καθώς και η Ομοσπονδία Λεσβιακών Συλλόγων Αττικής.
Η είσοδος στο «ΙΛΙΟΝ» είναι δωρεάν, η προβολή θα διαρκέσει μία ώρα και θα ακολουθήσει συζήτηση με το Σκηνοθέτη για το Φιλμ.
Το θέμα της ταινίας είναι η φιλοξενία που παρείχαν οι Τούρκοι των Παραλίων (στην Πέργαμο, στο Κουσάντασι κλπ) προς τους Έλληνες των νησιών (κυρίως από Σάμο και Λέσβο) που καταδιωκόμενοι από τους Γερμανούς κατακτητές (1942-1944) ζήτησαν σωτηρία στην Τουρκία (άλλοι για εγκατάσταση, άλλοι για να συνεχίσουν το ταξίδι τους στην Μέση Ανατολή). Η αξία της συγκεκριμένης εξιστόρησης γίνεται πιο σημαντική αν αναλογιστεί κανείς ότι οι μνήμες του 1922 ήταν ακόμη νωπές (20 μόλις χρόνια μετά την Ανταλλαγή), και ότι, παρόλη την αρχική καχυποψία, η καλή γειτονία και η αλληλεγγύη αναδείχθηκαν από τις καρδιές Τούρκων και Ελλήνων σαν οι κυρίαρχες αξίες στις σχέσεις τους.

Πολύ πρόσφατα, το Φιλμ εξασφάλισε τη συμμετοχή του στο Διεθνές Φεστιβάλ Κινηματογράφου της Πάτρας τον Οκτώβρη του 2009 και, επίσης, πήρε το 2ο βραβείο στο διαγωνισμό ντοκιμαντέρ της κρατικής Τουρκικής Ραδιοφωνίας Τηλεόρασης (TRT).

http://www.asyaminor.com/en/index.asp

Stopa kai sto xanaleo Yurdal Tokcan - Göksel Baktagir

Stopa kai sto xanaleo (Acemkurdi Sarki)
Göksel Baktagir (Kanun) - Yurdal Tokcan (Ud). Live from "1002 Nihtes Club" Athens Greece, 3 Febuary 2009.

Kürdilihicazkar PeşrevGöksel Baktagir - Yurdal Tokcan Athens 2009

Kürdilihicazkar Peşrev (Vasilaki Kemenceci)
Göksel Baktagir (Kanun) - Yurdal Tokcan (Ud). Live from "1002 Nihtes Club" Athens Greece, 3 Febuary 2009.