As part of the "On the Spot" exhibition, Pera Film presents the "Eternal Streets" program, which questions the permanent and inevitable role of cities in our lives by bringing together five films from the 2000s. Named after Federico Fellini's film of the same name, the selection will meet cinephiles at the Pera Museum Auditorium from March 13 to April 5.
In the "Eternal Streets" selection prepared by Suna and Inan Kıraç Foundation Pera Museum Film and Video Programs (Pera Film), films that depict cities as vibrant spaces that breathe are interpreted with a universal perspective on the rich narrative of the city. Named after Federico Fellini's 1954 film, the program brings together five films questioning the permanent and inevitable role of cities in our lives, ranging from Istanbul to Tokyo, Taipei, Marseille and Oslo.
The selection includes films such as "Yearning," which traces the feeling of "longing" in the melancholic streets of Istanbul; "Stray Dogs," which experiences rainy Taipei landscapes through the eyes of a homeless and vulnerable family; "Transit," wandering in the ambiguous areas trapped between the past and future of Marseille; "Oslo, August 31st," depicting the city's streets as silent witnesses to a young man's poignant journey, and "Lost in Translation," which tells the story of two strangers whose paths cross under the neon lights of Tokyo.
"Transit," adapted from Anna Seghers' 1942 novel of the same name, bears the signature of the renowned director Christian Petzold. The city in the story, Marseille, emerges as a symbol of both escape and hope for a new life, as well as a labyrinthine trap filled with the constant threat of capture. Marseille, where the story unfolds, plays an important role in the visual language of the film as a liminal space where refugees and displaced people struggle with uncertainties.
One of the most talked-about films of the 2000s, the Oscar-winning "Lost in Translation," deals with the unexpected relationship that develops between two Americans who feel displaced in a city far from home. Tokyo serves as a space emphasizing the theme of alienation and the need for connection, with its aesthetics and cinematography central to the story. The film, directed by Sofia Coppola, features renowned actors such as Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray, Giovanni Ribisi and Anna Faris.
"Yearning," bearing the signature of director Ben Hopkins, focuses on a German television crew and director who come to Istanbul for a documentary project. As the director's journey from present to past, from light to darkness continues, the landscape of Istanbul also changes. Alongside urban transformation, Istanbul's unique profound melancholy with its changing neighborhoods, demolitions, undocumented migrant workers, and residents from different religions and sects is portrayed on the screen.
The award-winning film "Stray Dogs" by one of today's prominent auteur directors, Tsai Ming-liang, offers a unique depiction of survival on the streets of Taipei. In the film where the city almost becomes a character itself, the audience witnesses how characters are lost and neglected amid Taipei's relentless rains and dilapidated buildings on the brink of urban decay.
"Oslo, August 31st," directed by Joachim Trier, highlights the urban texture of Oslo. Adapted from Pierre Drieu La Rochelle's novel "Le Feu Follet," the film's protagonist, Anders, takes a day off from the rehabilitation center where he is undergoing treatment for drug addiction to visit Oslo. Throughout the film, as Anders visits different parts of the city, the audience observes Oslo's parks, cafes, streets and nightlife, witnessing how the city becomes both a refuge and a space for him to confront himself.
The "Endless Streets" film program can be viewed at the Pera Museum Auditorium from March 13 to April 5.
