Every year, hordes of tourists from Turkey, Australia, and New Zealand travel to Gallipoli, or Çanakkale, as the peninsula is called in Turkish. They go there to commemorate the soldiers who died during one of the largest battles of World War I. To Turkish visitors, it’s a pilgrimage; to Australians, a holiday. One side refers to the fallen soldiers as “heroes,” while the other calls them “martyrs.” Video artist Köken Ergun, whose work is often about the role of ritual in communities, spent two years among the many tourists. He interviews people at the monuments and cemeteries, rides the tour buses on which guides tell their stories, and shows the melodramatic, patriotic plays organized by the Turkish government. Gradually it becomes apparent how these narratives are used to fan the flames of nationalism. Description based on the International Film Festival Rotterdam.
(Dir.: Köken Ergun, Turkey/Australia, 2019, 88 min., DCP, English and Turkish with English subtitles)
Free. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Auditorium doors open approximately 30 minutes before each show.
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