Judeo-Spanish film to premiere in Büyükada


Written by Rita Ender and shot by Yorgos Demir, the documentary "Ultimas Las Palavras" (Last Words) will make its world premiere in Paris as part of the "Troisime Universite d'ete Judeo-Espagnole" on Aug. 10. The film's Turkey debut will be on Aug. 13 on Büyükada, the biggest island of the Princes' Islands in Istanbul. Funded by the EU's Civil Society Facility Turkey Program, the documentary will be screened at Lale Movie Hall thanks to the contributions of the Princes' Island Municipality.The free film screening depicts 19 Turkish-Jewish young people between the ages of 25 and 35 who say the words they know in Judeo-Spanish. The film then criticizes how Judeo-Spanish culture perished over time although its songs and traditional dishes are still kept alive. Jewish identity, the role of language in life and memory, and an unfamiliar language are discussed through the eyes of young Jews.