Orient Express, Tarlabasi (2 Faces)
Overview
"Orient Express" is a 13 episode documentary series which explores today's' Turkey with its culture, politics, music, fashion and its people. Its approach is objective, sometimes humoristic but always through peoples' stories and experiences. Interviewers are the activists, leftists, academicians, journalists, artists, historians and ordinary people who are liberal and sometimes extreme for Turkish standards. Turkey today, is going through important changes on the road for establishing true democracy. "Orient Express" captures people who finally raise their voices through demonstrations, rallies and protests. It also addresses Turkey's changing role in the region and discusses the underlying causes of Turkey's current foreign policy as well as changes within Turkey itself through the views, beliefs and writings of its journalists. Through the universal language of music, Orient Express takes a different look in the recent past and current situation of Turkey, examining the influence of politics in music.
The series is also taking a journey to Anatolia and Aegean region of Turkey, capturing cultures and traditions: The nomads who represents a thousand year of tradition and crossing Turkey from south to north with camels, living a nomad life; the shamanistic dances and plays of Taskale which is being performed in the ancient caves of Cappadocia and Sufi ceremonies in Urfa. The influence of Shamanism within Islam and what's left of it and customs of the monastic orders of Anatolia, are also explored in the most vivid, immediate and compelling way.