Guardians of the Strait

The small Turkish town of Gaziantep. 16-year-old Mustafa is one of many young boys who study the complex art of making baklava, the Turkish desert renowned across the world. Under the strict eye of the master Baklava makers, Mustafa’s life is one of hard work and dedication to his chosen craft. But Mustafa dreams of a life beyond the confines of the workshop. He still wants to be a baklava master: he just wants to do it on his terms. Soon, against the advice of his friends and family, Mustafa makes a move towards the big city. Will his dreams be realised or will they crumble before him? A film about the impetuousness of youth and the importance of reaching for the stars, Angelos Abazoglou’s innnovative documentary is a moving and joyful coming-of-age tale which will speak to anyone who has ever wanted to fullfill their dreams.

A profile of Istanbul and its unique people, seen through the eyes of the most mysterious and beloved animal humans have ever known, the Cat.

Ecumenopolis: City Without Limits" tells the story of Istanbul and other Mega-Cities on a neo-liberal course to destruction. It follows the story of a migrant family from the demolition of their neighborhood to their on-going struggle for housing rights. The film takes a look at the city on a macro level and through the eyes of experts, going from the tops of mushrooming skyscrapers to the depths of the railway tunnel under the Bosphorous strait; from the historic neighborhoods in the south to the forests in the north; from isolated islands of poverty to the villas of the rich. It's an Istanbul going from 15 million to 30 million. It's an Istanbul going from 2 million cars to 8 million. It's the Istanbul of the future that will soon engulf the entire region. It's an Istanbul nobody has ever seen before.

While London was a swamp, and Paris, a fishing village, Istanbul, then known as Constantinople, reigned for a thousand years as the world's richest city. At the crossroads of Europe and Asia, it amassed more gold than both continents combined, and safeguarded Christendom's most sacred relics, including the True Cross and heads of the Apostles. Immerse yourself in the city that has endured more warfare than any other place on Earth: Istanbul. The world's oldest city, which spans the continents of Europe and Asia, holds many stories of intrigue. Intrigue in Istanbul is your ticket to one of the most subversive, decadent and magnificent journeys in history.

Join veteran travel writer and TV show host Rudy Maxa as he explores Turkey, a land of stark beauty that sits at the crossroads where Europe and Asia -- and two of the world's great religious faiths -- meet. Maxa guides you through the mysteries of Istanbul's Grand Bazaar and then into the delights of a bona fide Turkish bath. Next, he hops on a boat to explore the many Roman ruins along Turkey's southern Turquoise Coast.

Paris, 1960s. Momo, a resolute and independent Jewish teenager who lives with his father, a sullen and depressed man, in a working-class neighborhood, develops a close friendship with Monsieur Ibrahim, an elderly Muslim who owns a small grocery store.

Wanting a lavish production to mark the 25th anniversary of UFA, the German film studio, Joseph Goebbels, director of the Nazi propaganda machine, commissioned an adaptation of Baron von Münchhausen‘s “autobiographical” stories. Baron von Münchhausen (1720-97) was an eccentric figure in European history, whose tall tales about his adventures rival anything to be found in the legends of Paul Bunyan or classic figures like Odysseus. This film recounts some of the episodes from the Baron’s sensational stories, which are set in the world of the 18th century.

In 1919, Australian farmer Joshua Connor travels to Turkey to discover the fate of his three sons, reported missing in action. Holding on to hope, Joshua must travel across the war-torn landscape to find the truth and his own peace.

Halil goes to a bar with his friends and meets Sabiha, a prostitute, and they fall in love. Two lovers want to escape their past and live together. However, Sabiha knows little about Halil's life, and she has to face some facts.

A bet pits a British inventor, a Chinese thief and a French artist on a worldwide adventure that they can circle the globe in 80 days.

The life of a young computer systems analyst is thrown into turmoil after arriving in Istanbul to start a new job. She soon finds her passport missing, her credit cards useless, her bank account empty and her identity stolen. As the story progresses we find people and events may not be what they seem.

Selin, the spoilt and only child of a wealthy family, is dragged into an unwanted marriage, but she manages to escape on her wedding day. As she heads for the Aegean on a bus, she meets Asiye who tells Selin that she is being forcibly sent to her relatives. Selin offers to change places.

A family battles against the odds to stay together when small lies grow into an extravagant cover-up. In order to avoid hardship and responsibilities that would otherwise be impossible to endure, the family chooses to ignore the truth, not to see, hear or talk about it. But does playing “Three Monkeys” invalidate the truth of its existence?

Arthur Simon Simpson is a small-time crook biding his time in Greece. One of his potential victims turns out to be a gentleman thief planning to steal the emerald-encrusted dagger of the Mehmed II from Istanbul's Topkapi Museum.

An American adventurer who has a gambling den in Istanbul, who is suspected to be involved in the kidnapping of a nuclear scientist, but ultimately becomes self on the search for the disappeared and gets a striving for world domination secret organization.

"A Touch of Spice" is a story about Fanis, a young Greek boy growing up in Istanbul, whose grandfather, a culinary philosopher and mentor, teaches him that both food and life require a little salt to give them flavor. They both require... A Touch of Spice. Fanis grows up to become an excellent cook and uses his cooking skills to spice up the lives of those around him. 35 years later he leaves Athens and travels back to his birthplace of Istanbul to reunite with his grandfather and his first love. He travels back only to realize that he forgot to put a little bit of spice in his own life.

An international operative pursues a mysterious woman to and through Istanbul.

Hicran loses her husband. Her daughter Gizem comes to visit Hicran with some of her friends. They begin to experience fearful moments.

Mahmut and Abidin work as comedians at a night club, Mahmut is honest yet Abidin is sly. A deaf and mute girl named Kumru is brought to work in the night club.

An American ballistics expert in Turkey finds himself targeted by Nazi agents. Safe passage home by ship is arranged for him, but he soon discovers that his pursuers are also on board.