Controversial Epic Film
The fall of Constantinople in 1453 was an epic event and Turkey is taking a shot at turning the story into a major motion picture. I have always hoped to see the story that captured my imagination on the big screen and it appears I will finally have that chance. Everything about “Conquest, 1453” appears to be larger than life. With a budget of more than $17 million it is the most expensive film ever made in Turkey. The running time of 160 minutes, makes it longer than Hollywood epics like Ben Hur and Spartacus. With an all Turkish cast, direction and writing team, it promises epic controversy as well. Protest from Greece claiming that film is biased and racist has already begun. It is hard to imagine it not depicting the Turkish side in the most favorable light possible and this implies that the Greeks and Italians may not fare too well.
Having written my own “epic” on precisely the same subject, I am curious to see the film and to see the response to it both in Turkey and outside Turkey. Once it comes out, we can all start to form our own opinions. Stay tuned.