Short Films

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National Documentary Competition

TURKISH DELIGHT

• Director: Pınar Öğrenci
• GREECE, TURKEY, GERMANY / 2022 / DCP / Colour and B&W / 31’ / No dialogue; s.t.

• Editing: Pınar Öğrenci
• Music: Carlota Marques
• With: Animasyon Animation: Gerrit Kuge
• Producer: Pınar Öğrenci
• World Sales: Pınar Öğrenci

Turkish Delight follows the story of the production of lokum (Turkish Delight), one of the most emblematic delicacies of Turkish culinary culture, that extends from Western Anatolia to the Greek island of Syros. Known as ’rahat-ul hulkum’ in Arabic and ’lokoumi’ in Greek, ’lokum’ came to be called as ’Turkish Delight’ at the end of the 19th century, when nationalist policies were introduced, and became the breadbasket for refugees fleeing the war that would soon begin. The film tells part of the story of Syros, which was built with the labour of Greek (Rum in Turkish) refugees from Anatolia and the islands, and focuses on the forced separation of peoples who lived together for centuries. Narrating the story of the forced displacement of two Greek families who escaped from Izmir and Istanbul and took shelter on Syros Island during the Turkish War of Independence, Turkish Delight brings together the survival stories of two couples from different generations. Visualized by the fragmented multiplicity of images, the narrative of the film points at the split historiography, fragmented cultural relations, and the psychological landscape of loss for refugees torn between the homeland and the port of arrival.

This film was a Meetings on the Bridge participant.