Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria

Greece/Turkey, 2011, 113mins (Drama)
Director Hany Abu-Assad, Stefan Arsenijevic, Aida Begic, Josefina Markarian, Eric Nazarian, Stergios Niziris, Omar Shargawi

Written by Hany Abu-Assad, Stefan Arsenijevic, Aida Begic, Gul Dirican, Nazli Elif Durlu, Josefina Markarian, Eric Nazarian, Stergios Niziris, Omar Shargawi
Produced by Sevil Demirci, Huseyin Karabey, Emre Yeksan
Cast: Ali Suliman, Hiam Abbass, Belçim Bilgin, Derya Durmaz, Mert Firat, Mira Furlan, Ayca Damgaci

“Intense human emotions play out through multi-ethnic narratives that make Istanbul romantic, mysterious and simply unforgettable.” Altcine

Seven talented filmmakers of different nationalities – united by their experiences of living in Istanbul – come together in a portmanteau feature to remind audiences that this cosmopolitan city does not only belong to the Turkish people.

Each filmmaker directs a 15-minute short film using modern-day Istanbul (and local crews) as the backdrop for character vignettes that intertwine with the city’s monuments, architecture and street markets. Just as Paris, je t’aime and New York I Love You honour their respective cities, Do Not Forget Me Istanbul presents the old Ottoman capital as a living, breathing protagonist profoundly affecting all who encounter it.

“The Bosphorus, which cuts the city in half so it straddles two continents, remains a constant motif stringing the different shorts together. A poignant portrayal of a complex city.” Gulf News

About the Directors:
Dutch-Palestinian filmmaker Hany Abu-Assad won a Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film for Paradise Now (2006).
Serbian filmmaker Stefan Arsenijevic came into the international spotlight with an Academy Award nomination for his  short film (A)Torsion (2003), which also won a Golden Bear at Berlin.
Serbian filmmaker Aida Begic’s debut feature Snow (2008) won the Grand Prix at Cannes, as well as numerous other international awards.
Armenian-born and LA-based filmmaker Eric Nazarian is the recipient of the prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Art & Sciences® Nicholl Fellowship for his original screenplay, Giants.
Greek filmmaker Stergios Niziris directed the feature film Like Chef, Like God (2004).
Danish-Palestinian filmmaker Omar Shargawi made is directorial debut with the multi-award-winning Go with Peace Jamil (2008).
Turkish filmmaker Josefina Markarian studied Directing at Stavrakos Film and Television School in Athens, and now works as an assistant director and script collaborator.