'Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul' is one of the best music documentaries that I have seen lately and is more than a film about music. It is also a musical love declaration about a fabulous city, one of the greatest city in Europe and the world, one of the most important cities for Europe history and for Islam, the city that may bridge in the future Europe and the Middle East or may signify once again, as is already happened in history the precipice between two worlds.
Then there is the music. The interesting approach that the film takes with regard to music is that it starts from modern music, and we hear a lot of (good) rock and rap in the first third of the film. An then, like a backwards move in time the soundtrack takes us to the roots, to Turkish traditional music, to commercial romances, and to the exotic instruments that are basic elements in the landscape of Turkish music. In such a complex and conflict ridden country as Turkey is the film does not avoid some of the political aspects, like censorship introduced by the military rule in the 80s or the relevance of the songs of the minorities especially the Kurdish one. One of the best musical moments is actually provided by a Kurdish singer with a fantastic voice singing in a cathedral-shaped hamam (Turkish bath).
One gets to love the city and its music by the end of the viewing and hearing of this film. I have never been to Istanbul but after having seen this film I am sure that I want to visit this place soon.
Then there is the music. The interesting approach that the film takes with regard to music is that it starts from modern music, and we hear a lot of (good) rock and rap in the first third of the film. An then, like a backwards move in time the soundtrack takes us to the roots, to Turkish traditional music, to commercial romances, and to the exotic instruments that are basic elements in the landscape of Turkish music. In such a complex and conflict ridden country as Turkey is the film does not avoid some of the political aspects, like censorship introduced by the military rule in the 80s or the relevance of the songs of the minorities especially the Kurdish one. One of the best musical moments is actually provided by a Kurdish singer with a fantastic voice singing in a cathedral-shaped hamam (Turkish bath).
One gets to love the city and its music by the end of the viewing and hearing of this film. I have never been to Istanbul but after having seen this film I am sure that I want to visit this place soon.