The World of Movies: İstanbul Kırmızısı

Written by Rachael Crawley


The World of Movies is a series that explores global cinema, drawing on films from many countries, industries and eras. This week’s movie takes place in contemporary Istanbul. 

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May contain spoilers.

“I think this city finds me rather unlikeable,” Orhan declares near the beginning of the movie. An acclaimed writer, he has returned to Turkey after a long time abroad. Having arrived to collaborate with his filmmaker friend Deniz, he discovers a place that is unrecognizable.

It is a familiar story to anyone who has left home and returned. İstanbul Kırmızısı (Ferzan Özpetek, 2017) dwells frequently on change – both among Orhan’s own acquaintances, and on a societal level. Characters reminisce about cities and people in a way that suggests they are irrevocably different, even in a period of twenty years. Familiar sites have been repurposed. While exploring his hometown, Orhan finds it difficult to reconnect. He floats aimlessly between friends and acquaintances (who have moved on) and relies on Deniz to guide him. In these surroundings, he falls back into old habits. Then, on the first night, Deniz disappears. By losing his friend, Orhan has lost his anchor.

From here you might expect a mystery film, with Orhan in the role of detective. Though he does team up with Neval (Deniz’s friend) and Yusuf (Deniz’s on-and-off boyfriend), the movie is not focused on pursuing Deniz’s whereabouts – instead, it takes a more reflective turn. The police investigation ensures that Orhan cannot leave Istanbul for some time, and so he is stuck, faced with complex feelings towards the city. He meets people from his past and from Deniz’s life. He waits for news. He falls for Neval. At the same time, he confronts his own memories of Istanbul, many of which are painful. It is implied that he is as detached while abroad as he is in Turkey. Throughout the movie, he struggles to write the project he travelled for.

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It’s an effective concept, and by taking this approach, the movie is stronger. The premise has great potential - and yet it doesn’t fully add up. Orhan himself is somewhat bland, fading in comparison to Yusuf, Deniz and his family. The events of the movie, as well as the city’s bustle, tend to happen around him, rather than Orhan affecting the plot. The film is left to sit with his discomfort in Istanbul. He is staying with a family in the middle of a tragedy, people with whom he cannot really relax – which naturally tends to put his character in the background. His reactions are somewhat downplayed as a result. While you learn more about his motivations later on, it can be difficult to get a handle on him as a character. The romantic side plot with Neval feels unconvincing, and could have used a little more development. Ultimately, I feel the movie could have benefited from tighter editing and a slightly quicker pace. Between the passive character and the slow plot, the movie starts to be bogged down.

As an examination of the city and of a returning expatriate, İstanbul Kırmızısı is quite successful. There are plenty of compelling characters, and strong performances across the board – Çiğdem Selışık Onat stands out as Deniz’s mother, along with Mehmet Günsür as Yusuf. If it were to define its lead character more strongly, slightly improve the pacing, and either eliminate or enhance the love story, it has the potential to be a great movie. Even with these flaws, it is an effective portrait of a rapidly changing city. The concept of home can be complicated for many – and İstanbul Kırmızısı explores this with nuance and sensitivity.

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Rachael Crawley holds a Master's Degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, and has worked with film in Canada and in Europe. She adores language and cinema, and how these subjects interact with each other.