Katırlar doğurunca

Written, directed, orchestrated and edited by Michelangelo Severgnini

Original music performed by the most interesting Istanbul underground musicians. Special guests the "Sulukule Roman Orkestrası" and the kurdish band Bajar.

Expected length: 90 minutes.

Original language: mostly Turkish, but also English, Kurdish, Italian, Arabic, Romanes, Tigrinya.

 

<<What keeps the utopia alive despite reality has killed every dream? Deep in the heart of 6 ordinary people 6 extraordinary answers.
Six parallel stories wander the streets of Istanbul waiting for the day when the mules will give birth>>...

 

The director found asylum in Istanbul after leaving behind his country, Italy, escaping away from waves of the Civilization of Regress. Here started a new life. Began to look around, to listen, collect stories, play music, learn life styles, discover corners, engage in friendships, dream new connections and finally become himself again. From these emotions wrote 6 stories and tried to tell their struggle in life either in small things or great missions. Their efforts lovingly made despite a tricky, complicated and hostile reality, spring from the faith in another world possible that will start that day "when the mules will give birth".

 

 

 

An unrepentant speaker from the frequency of a radio station, a kind of "collective consciousness", the program of one eccentric visionary veteran of many lost battles in life, determined not to lose the most important one: that for the freedom of thought and for the freedom of speech.

 

 

Fabrizio De Angeli is Valerio.

 

Valerio was lost and abandoned.

A young Italian arrives in Istanbul following a turkish love. But once arrived on the Bosporus the board changes. The girl vanishes. Suddenly, Valerio feels to be on the trail of a lost identity that doesn't show itself. Only many months later he takes a journey by land to the far east of Turkey. On the road he realizes to be reliving the journey of Catullus, Latin poet, made 2000 years before in then Asia Minor.

 

 

Kadir Bakaç is Sidar.

 

Sidar's friend was in prison.

Sidar leaves to Diyarbakir, for the Newroz, the Kurdish feast. Grown up in Istanbul, he does not speak Kurdish, but the political activism and cultural pride are the coordinates of his life. Uppermost in the thoughts of Sidar is Emre, his dear friend in prison for political activities, with whom they write to each other. Finally comes the day to inform the family of the decision to move on the mountains and join the Kurdish guerrillas. But their reaction will add to the torments of Sidar. Until a letter arrives: it's Emre, he is no longer in prison, he is already on the mountains.

 

 

Coşkun Pündük is Coşkun.

 

Coşkun and his friends were learning to fly.

The summer is coming, the school is over. But this year's open air games playground of Coşkun and his young fellows, is not the beautiful gypsy quarter of Sulukule with its small and colorful houses, but an endless pile of rubble, the result of the plan for urban renewal. But even this does not stop Coşkun and others who have learned to make kites this year. Flying is the unacknowledged dream of all of them. Flying, you can escape reality. Or you can look down and see a neighborhood destroyed in the middle of the city.

 

 

Enise Şeyda Kapusuz is Hüsna.

 

Hüsna was fighting for justice.

With the start of the university has begun a nightmare for Hüsna. Turkish law does not permit the wearing of the headscarf in the campus. Fortunately, someone is tolerant, but it is always a struggle. But Hüsna feels that continuing to be in Istanbul itself is a form of resistance, and is part of a larger struggle in a world of injustice, a world where she is starting to step in.

 

 

Ahmed Shobolay is Shobolay.

 

Shobolay was watching the trains.
The documents for the request for asylum should not seem to arrive. Yet Shobolay, a young Eritrean happened in Istanbul on the way to Europe, had long cherished the hope. But now almost 2 years have past. The scent of Europe already is in the air, the greek border is only a few hundred kilometers far. Like many African migrants in Istanbul, can not wait any longer. He takes a train to reach the border. There is a river to be overcome, only a small river. The rift between madness and wisdom, between north and south, but also east and west, misery and luck is all there.

 

 

 

 

A few snapshots from the movie:

With the friendly participation of Özay Fecht.

Aygül Gül.

Harun Omer Tarhan.

Yusuf Kohen.

Jodith.