History Seminar - Cinema alla franca in Ottoman Istanbul

In English with hybrid format.
Registration in-person here (deadline 03/03/2025 at 5pm) : https://forms.gle/yjrNAJLjUVAwBiPD8

For Zoom registration: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/Vq-ZBH5DQQay4h8gnLrf5Q

With Özde Çeliktemel (Boğaziçi University/IFEA) as speaker and Ayșe Toy Par (Galatasaray University) as moderator: "Cinema alla franca in Ottoman Istanbul".

This presentation examines the emergence of cinematic culture in early 20th century Ottoman Istanbul, focusing on its interplay with the cultural, social, and political fabric of the imperial capital. The introduction of films as cultural exports and tradable commodities was driven by both foreign and local entrepreneurs eager to profit from exhibitions, rentals, and the sale of cinematic devices. Screenings began in Istanbul in 1896, bringing the latest technological marvels to a captivated audience. Intellectuals, entrepreneurs, and certain audiences embraced cinema, describing it as “the great innovation” and heralding the “new world” that was transforming the ancient landscape of Asia. This presentation explores the integration of cinema into Istanbul’s entertainment culture, the infrastructural and regulatory challenges it faced, and the socio-cultural encounters it provoked. Key themes include audience reception, the technological requirements of screenings, and how cinema contributed to shaping modern spectacle culture. Drawing on archival records, press reviews, memoirs, and literary works, this study positions early cinema as a dynamic site of cultural exchange, hybridity, and encounters during a transformative period in Ottoman cinema history.