Alexandria Trilogy Alexandria, Why?

Director: Youssef Chahine
Cast: Ahmed Zaki, Naglaa Fathy, Farid Shawqi
Egypt, Algeria, 127’, 1978, color
Arabic with Turkish subtitles

Winner of the Silver Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festival, this acclaimed first instalment in Chahine’s groundbreaking Alexandria Trilogy takes place in 1942, as British and Arab forces fight together against German troops advancing toward Alexandria. Yehia, here representing the young Youssef Chahine, is obsessed with Hollywood musicals and dreams of studying acting in the USA; a beautiful Jewish socialite must decide between fleeing the advancing Germans with her father or staying with her Egyptian lover, who is secretly working with the Germans; a wealthy Egyptian aristocrat murders occupying troops one by one until he meets a young British soldier with whom he develops a special bond. Chahine masterfully weaves these interrelated storylines together to create a magnificent historical and autobiographical tapestry.

Silver Bear & Special Jury Prize, Berlin International Film Festival

Chronicle of the Year of Embers

Chronicle of the Year of Embers

A Suspended Life

A Suspended Life

Date Wine

Date Wine

Omar Gatlato

Omar Gatlato

Umm Kulthum, A Voice Like Egypt

Umm Kulthum, A Voice Like Egypt

The Broken Wings

The Broken Wings

Alexandria Trilogy Alexandria, Again and Forever

Alexandria Trilogy Alexandria, Again and Forever

Alexandria Trilogy Alexandria, Why?

Alexandria Trilogy Alexandria, Why?

Alexandria Trilogy An Egyptian Story

Alexandria Trilogy An Egyptian Story

Unhomely!  <br>Lee Miller

Unhomely!
Lee Miller

Pera Museum, in collaboration with Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), is one of the main venues for this year’s 15th Istanbul Biennial from 16 September to 12 November 2017.

The Ottoman Way of Serving Coffee

The Ottoman Way of Serving Coffee

Coffee was served with much splendor at the harems of the Ottoman palace and mansions. First, sweets (usually jam) was served on silverware, followed by coffee serving. The coffee jug would be placed in a sitil (brazier), which had three chains on its sides for carrying, had cinders in the middle, and was made of tombac, silver or brass. The sitil had a satin or silk cover embroidered with silver thread, tinsel, sequin or even pearls and diamonds.

Niko Pirosmani

Niko Pirosmani

“A nameless Egyptian fresco, an African idol or a vase from Crete: we should behold Pirosmani’s art among them. Only this way it is possible to conceive it genuinely … …You see Pirosmani – you believe in Georgia”.
Grigol Robakidze