Director | JAAK KILMI, GINTS GRUBE

Latvia, Germany, Czech Republic, Estonia / 2019 / Colour / 85’ / DCP
Latvian, English and Russian with Turkish sub.

The documentary titled My Father, The Spy tells the story of an ordinary Soviet student Ieva Lesinska in 1978, whose life becomes upside down after visiting her dad, who works as a Soviet agent in the headquarters of United Nations in New York. Being surprised  after meeting the dark side of her father and bearing the burden of the obligation to leave behind her old life, Ieva sets out on a journey to the past to find herself and understand the game she was part of. While Ieva confronts family secrets during this journey, the audience witnesses the background of the Cold War period. In other words, My Father, The Spy offers a general narration on the facts of the Cold War period, basing on a story of a single family.

The movie’s premiere was held in June 2019 at Sheffield Doc/Fest in United Kingdom. Directors of the film are the Latvian film-maker Gints Grube known for his documentary Sounds Under The Sun in 2010, and the Estonian documentary director Jaak Kilmi who took credit for the documentary Disco and Atomic War of the Soviet period similarly. Remarkable directors use their distinctive story telling techniques all together in this documentary and simply work miracles. The interviews and archive materials in the film are accompanied by the re-animation scenes from time to time, fictionalized on Ieva’s photographs.

Director | BILLY WILDER

USA / 1961 / B&W / 104’ / DCP
English, German and Russian with Turkish sub.

Screenplay | Billy Wilder, I.A.L. Diamond, Ferenc Molnár
Cast            | James Cagney, Horst Buchholz, Pamela Tiffin

A movie of 1961, One, Two, Three was turned into a screenplay basing on a theater play the Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnár, who had written some of the most polemical texts of the period, wrote in 1929. A magnificent movie came in sight as the perfect combination of Molnár’s fluent narration and the prodigy of the Hollywood’s mastermind director Billy Wilder.

Hollywood’s favorite actor James Cagney is starring in this movie, which is amongst the best examples of satirical art in the silver screen that deviates from the usual stories of Cold War period. Cagney acts out a white collar C.R. MacNamara (Mac) ready to do anything to advance in his career at Coca Cola in West Germany.

As an overambitious guy in the professional life and making his name more and more with his success, Mac receives a call from his boss W.P. Hazeltine (Howard St. John) in Atlanta one day and learns that Hazeltine’s 17 years old rebellious daughter Scarlett (Pamela Tiffin) is visiting West Berlin. His boss wants him to take care of Scarlett. This visit of two weeks extends in an inexplicable way, and two months later, Mac learns that Scarlett is married to Otto Ludwig Piffl (Horst Buchholz), a communist from East Berlin. The couple decides to move to Moscow to start a new life. Meanwhile, Scarlett’s dad, Mac’s dearest boss Hazeltine sets off to take his daughter from Germany to US. Well, swearing to treat his boss well all the time and ambitious to advance in his career, how will Mac manage to explain to his imperialist boss that his daughter is married to a communist now?

Director | ERNST LUBITSCH

USA / 1939 /  B&W / 110’ / DCP
English and Russian with Turkish sub.

Screenplay | Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder, Walter Reisch, Melchior Lengyel
Cast            | Greta Garbo, Melvyn Douglas, Ina Claire

Ninotchka is a 1939 movie, regarded amongst the most famous romantic comedies of American history of cinema. Directed by Ernst Lubitsch, one of the top remarkable names of comedy genre, the movie bases on a screen story by the Hungarian scriptwriter Melchior Lengyel.

Naming after the movie, the character Ninotchka is played by “Greta Garbo” known as “Hollywood’s Ice Queen” for her heavenly beauty and magnificent roles. Appearing in a comedy for the first time in her career with Ninotchka character, Garbo is starring with another star Melvyn Douglas. Approaching imperialism and communism satirically over two different characters, the movie offers a political comedy to the audience. 

Working for the Soviets, the diplomat Nina Ivanovna Yakushova (Ninotchka) arrives in Paris to sell jewelry confiscated during the Russian Revolution. Meanwhile, the carefree bachelor Count Leon d'Algout (Melvyn Douglas) tries to seize the jewelry, to help retrieve it to the former owner Grand Duchess Swana (Ina Claire) before it is sold. The cold Ninotchka, who is gravitated by the appeal of Leon despite their opposite ideologies, turns a deaf ear to her reasoning unwillingly. Therefore, a riveting transformation starts for both of them.

Sunday Cinema Club

Director  | JERRY ZUCKER

USA / 1990 / Colour / 127’ / DCP
English with Turkish sub.

Screenplay | Bruce Joel Rubin
Cast             | Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg

Ghost has been regarded amongst the top special movies in the history of cinema, both by the perfect harmony between the costars Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore, and the mastermind composer, Maurice Jarre’s music imprinted on our minds just as the movie. It became the top watched movie of the year 1990 once it began to play in theaters. Exhibiting its success in the box office at many award ceremonies including the Oscars, the movie meets with the audience once again within Kundura Cinema’s Sunday Club event.

As a movie the director Jerry Zucker shot on his own for the first time, independently from Jim Abrahams and David Zucker, Ghost depicts a story of “life after death”... Banker Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) and his ceramic artist girlfriend Molly Jensen (Demi Moore), restore and start living in an apartment at Manhattan, with the help of Sam’s colleague Carl Bruner (Tony Goldwyn). One night, Sam tells Carl about his suspicions on the shady bank accounts with high amounts of money. He refuses the assistance of Carl and decides to solve this matter on his own. Sam and Molly are attacked by a thief on the same night; the thief murders Sam before stealing his wallet. Seeing Molly crying right next to him, Sam understands that he has turned into a ghost now; no one sees or hears him anymore in the world of mortals. Except for one person; Psychic Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg).

The movie received the “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” Oscar for Goldberg, as well as the award for the “Best Screenplay” in 1991.

Hollywood Classics

Director  | DAVID LEAN

USA, UK, Italy / 1965 / Colour / 197’ / DCP
English, Russian and French with Turkish sub.

Screenplay | Boris Pasternak, Robert Bolt
Cast             | Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine Chaplin

As one of the top unforgettable movies in the history of cinema, Doctor Zhivago meets the audience once again within the scope of Hollywood Classics screening on the last Friday of every month at Kundura Cinema. Screening in the special atmosphere of Beykoz Kundura with tasty treats, the movie promises a memorable experience to the audience.

Dramatized from the Nobel winning first novel of the author Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago was directed by the famous British director David Lean. Egyptian actor in the leading role, Omar Sharif impresses the audience by his Doctor Zhivago performance, which had a vital role in his international popularity.   

The movie with a setting during the civil war period right after the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, centers around Yuri Zhivago, both a poet and a doctor, falling in love with the revolutionary leader’s wife (Julia Christie), and the challenges he faces afterwards, being stuck between his life and dreams. Beyond this story of Zhivago, audience witnesses the political dynamics of the revolution process and the social chaos in Moscow. Being a period drama in this sense, Doctor Zhivago draws attention by its memorable scenes, as well as its historical and heroic style. Likewise, Oscars it has won in 1966 for “Best Cinematography”, “Best Art Direction”, and “Best Costume” simply prove this. 

The movie also received the “Best Adaptation Scenario” and “Best Original Music” Oscar awards. The music accompanying the memorable scenes, on the other hand, belong to Maurice Jarre, one of the most remarkable composers when it comes to film soundtracks.

Original title | Das Leben der Anderen
Director        | FLORIAN HENCKEL VON DONNERSMARCK

Germany / 2006 / Colour /137’ / DCP
German with Turkish sub.

Screenplay | Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Cast            | Ulrich Mühe, Martina Gedeck, Sebastian Koch

The first movie of the German director Florian Henckel Donnersmarck, The Lives of Others was admired both by movie critics and the audience since its premiere in 2006. It was in many festivals including !f Istanbul; played to a full house whenever it was screened. The film also won an Oscar for “The Best Foreign Language Film of the Year” the same year. 

Succeeded in being amongst the important classics of the German cinema, The Lives of Others focuses on the oppressive regime in the East Germany right before the fall of Berlin Wall. The story centers around Gerd Wiesler, a secret police in a kind of secret intelligence service (Stasi) affiliated to Ministry for State Security. Agent Wisler is characterized by the famous German actor Ulrich Mühe, known from his performance in 1997 movie called Funny Games of Haneke.

Gerd Wiesler is charged with conducting surveillance on the playwright Georg Dreyman (Sebastian Koch) and his girlfriend Christa-Maria Sieland (Martina Gedeck). The purpose is to find an evidence proving the anti-regime acts of those two. However, things don’t go as planned. When Wiesler understands that the playwright he spies out indeed does not oppose to regime and not act suspicious, he realizes that there is another purpose underlying the task. Intervening with the playwright’s life more and more each day, Wiesler assists him in time, in ways that he cannot even realize; a secret friendship therefore appears between them. 

The Lives of Others briefly draws attention to the oppressive atmosphere brought by the ambition of remaining in power and the humanistic emotions blooming even in this retrogressive ambiance. 

Director        | STANLEY KUBRICK

USA / 1964 / B&W / 93’ / DCP
English and Russian with Turkish sub.

Screenplay | Stanley Kubrick, Terry Southern
Cast            | Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden

Adapted from the novel Red Alert of the author Peter George with the unique creativity of the mastermind director Stanley Kubrick, Dr. Strangelove is a black humor fascinating the audience. It is regarded amongst the top movies reflecting the political and military dynamics of the Cold War period, despite the absurd elements it harbors; it focuses on the nuclear and politic tension between the Soviets and US in a very sarcastic perspective.

Having received many rewards in the best picture including BAFTA, Dr. Strangelove centers around the warlike soldiers planning a nuclear doomsday.

Due to a series of military and political coincidences, two psychopath generals (Commander of the US Air Forces, Jack D. Ripper and the Commander of the US Armed Forces, Staff "Buck" Turgidson) ignite the wick of a nuclear attack to the strategic points in Russia. The brain of this plan is Dr. Strangelove, who has strange ideas on the future of humans. Both the President and Captain Mandrake, the only person to stop these men, have become desperate.

A movie with plot twist both in the storyline and characters was approved by the audience. Peter Sellers acts out three characters; Captain Mandrake, President Merkin Muffley and Dr. Strangelove. Defined as “nightmare comedy” by the director Kubrick, Dr. Strangelove depicts a total Cold War paranoia for the audience, with its tragicomic story and the references to the political and military systems getting out of hand with the ambition for power.

Director | SIDNEY LUMET

USA / 1964 / B&W / 112’ / DCP
English with Turkish sub.

Screenplay | Walter Bernstein, Eugene Burdick
Cast            | Henry Fonda, Walter Matthau, Fritz Weaver

Fail Safe was adapted to the silver screen from the novel of American authors Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler with the same name. Directed by one of the most productive directors of Hollywood, Sidney Lumey, the movie arouses interest by its riveting storyline.

What happens if there is a nuclear attack in Moscow, due to an error in US military’s computer? Plus, in the Cold War period ... US President, characterized by the famous actor Henry Fonda will of course try to convince the Soviets that this is a technical failure. But, will these prevent the opponent to retaliate? What will the President do to solve this complication and prevent a potential war?     

Keeping the audience full excited from beginning till the end, Fail Safe becomes remarkable among the thriller movies focusing on the Cold War period in this respect. 

The similarity between the movie Fail Safe and Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove which Kundura Cinema offers in its selection during January and February has been discussed since 1964. These two movies addressing a similar storyline in two different ways meet their audience with two sessions in a row on Sunday, February 2nd at Kundura Cinema. You may witness this discussion of 55 years by watching these two movies in the same day. 

Director | JAAK KILMI, GINTS GRUBE

Latvia, Germany, Czech Republic, Estonia / 2019 / Colour / 85’ / DCP
Latvian, English and Russian with Turkish sub.

The documentary titled My Father, The Spy tells the story of an ordinary Soviet student Ieva Lesinska in 1978, whose life becomes upside down after visiting her dad, who works as a Soviet agent in the headquarters of United Nations in New York. Being surprised  after meeting the dark side of her father and bearing the burden of the obligation to leave behind her old life, Ieva sets out on a journey to the past to find herself and understand the game she was part of. While Ieva confronts family secrets during this journey, the audience witnesses the background of the Cold War period. In other words, My Father, The Spy offers a general narration on the facts of the Cold War period, basing on a story of a single family.

The movie’s premiere was held in June 2019 at Sheffield Doc/Fest in United Kingdom. Directors of the film are the Latvian film-maker Gints Grube known for his documentary Sounds Under The Sun in 2010, and the Estonian documentary director Jaak Kilmi who took credit for the documentary Disco and Atomic War of the Soviet period similarly. Remarkable directors use their distinctive story telling techniques all together in this documentary and simply work miracles. The interviews and archive materials in the film are accompanied by the re-animation scenes from time to time, fictionalized on Ieva’s photographs.

Director | SIDNEY LUMET

USA / 1964 / B&W / 112’ / DCP
English with Turkish sub.

Screenplay | Walter Bernstein, Eugene Burdick
Cast            | Henry Fonda, Walter Matthau, Fritz Weaver

Fail Safe was adapted to the silver screen from the novel of American authors Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler with the same name. Directed by one of the most productive directors of Hollywood, Sidney Lumey, the movie arouses interest by its riveting storyline.

What happens if there is a nuclear attack in Moscow, due to an error in US military’s computer? Plus, in the Cold War period ... US President, characterized by the famous actor Henry Fonda will of course try to convince the Soviets that this is a technical failure. But, will these prevent the opponent to retaliate? What will the President do to solve this complication and prevent a potential war?     

Keeping the audience full excited from beginning till the end, Fail Safe becomes remarkable among the thriller movies focusing on the Cold War period in this respect. 

The similarity between the movie Fail Safe and Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove which Kundura Cinema offers in its selection during January and February has been discussed since 1964. These two movies addressing a similar storyline in two different ways meet their audience with two sessions in a row on Sunday, February 2nd at Kundura Cinema. You may witness this discussion of 55 years by watching these two movies in the same day. 

Original title | Ma Vie de Courgette
Director        | CLAUDE BARRAS

Switzerland, France / 2016 / Colour / 66’ / DCP
French with Turkish dubbed

Screenplay | Céline Sciamma, Gilles Paris
Cast            | Gaspard Schlatter, Sixtine Murat, Paulin Jaccoud

As the first full-length film of the Swiss director Claude Barras, My Life as a Zucchini travelled the four corners of the world, following the premiere held in Cannes Film Festival in 2016; admired by the audience everywhere it screened. The movie is now a guest to Kundura Cinema for a screening held specially for kids and families.

Adapted from the novel titled Autobiographie d’une Courgette of the French writer Gilles Paris, the movie centers around a 9 year old boy. Courgette starts living in an orphanage after his mother’s sudden death. Although he could not get used to the orphanage in the beginning, Courgette makes friends as he witnesses the lives of other orphans like him in time; learns to trust people and found a new family. 

Addressing the difficulties of living in an orphanage partly with an emotional way as well as using humor on the other hand, this stop-motion animation appeals to not only children, but also to adults. In the interview given by the director Barras, he expresses that “Adults cry while watching the movie, feeling a sort of nostalgia on their childhood. Children, on the other hand, leave the movie with questions about future on their minds.”

Original title | Das Leben der Anderen
Director        | FLORIAN HENCKEL VON DONNERSMARCK

Germany / 2006 / Colour /137’ / DCP
German with Turkish sub.

Screenplay | Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Cast            | Ulrich Mühe, Martina Gedeck, Sebastian Koch

The first movie of the German director Florian Henckel Donnersmarck, The Lives of Others was admired both by movie critics and the audience since its premiere in 2006. It was in many festivals including !f Istanbul; played to a full house whenever it was screened. The film also won an Oscar for “The Best Foreign Language Film of the Year” the same year. 

Succeeded in being amongst the important classics of the German cinema, The Lives of Others focuses on the oppressive regime in the East Germany right before the fall of Berlin Wall. The story centers around Gerd Wiesler, a secret police in a kind of secret intelligence service (Stasi) affiliated to Ministry for State Security. Agent Wisler is characterized by the famous German actor Ulrich Mühe, known from his performance in 1997 movie called Funny Games of Haneke.

Gerd Wiesler is charged with conducting surveillance on the playwright Georg Dreyman (Sebastian Koch) and his girlfriend Christa-Maria Sieland (Martina Gedeck). The purpose is to find an evidence proving the anti-regime acts of those two. However, things don’t go as planned. When Wiesler understands that the playwright he spies out indeed does not oppose to regime and not act suspicious, he realizes that there is another purpose underlying the task. Intervening with the playwright’s life more and more each day, Wiesler assists him in time, in ways that he cannot even realize; a secret friendship therefore appears between them. 

The Lives of Others briefly draws attention to the oppressive atmosphere brought by the ambition of remaining in power and the humanistic emotions blooming even in this retrogressive ambiance. 

Director        | ALFRED HITCHCOCK

USA / 1959 / Colour / 136’ / DCP
English and French with Turkish sub.

Screenplay | Ernest Lehman
Cast            | Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason

Setting off with the theme of suspicion and spying, it is impossible not to mention the exciting masterpiece North by Northwest of Alfred Hitchcock, a mastermind director of thriller movies. Just like all his movies, Hitchcock blends the suspicion brilliantly here, enchants the audience and leads the way to a story with full adrenalin.  

As one of the most unique productions in the history of cinema and watched curiously till the end, North by Northwest has the notable actor of the period, Cary Grant in the leading role. Grant plays the character Roger Thornhill in the movie, an ordinary individual in New York whose life changes after being kidnapped as being mistaken for an agent named George Kaplan. Things get more and more complicated as Thornhill tries to vindicate himself and deny the allegations.      

The exciting run away and endeavors of Thornhill for vindicating himself simply take the breath of the audience throughout the movie, whereas the political dynamics of the Cold War period are displayed on the other hand.

Hitchcock combines these events full of suspicion and adrenalin, with a bit of romanticism and humor as well. With such nature, North by Northwest is regarded as the first in romantic thriller genre.    

Director     | SHADI ABDEL SALAM

Egypt / 1969 / Colour / 103’ / DCP
Arabic with English & Turkish sub.

Screenplay | Chadi Abdel Salam
Cast            | Ahmed Marei, Ahmad Hegazi, Nadia Lutfi

As the first, and only full-length film that was managed to be completed before the Egyptian movie maker Shadi Abdel Salam passed away, Al-Mumia draws attention by its story basing on true story. Directed by Roberto Rossellini, an important representative of Italian new realism movement, the story starts when the precious artifacts of Tanis tribe of Ancient Egypt began showing up at market in 1881, it was discovered that members of the ancient Horbat tribe were secretly raiding Deir al-Bahari, the site of a legendary cache of royal mummies.  

Having a significant place in the Egyptian cinema, Al-Mumia was restored in 2009 by the World Cinema Foundation founded by Martin Scorsese, with the support of also the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. The film which had a chance to be rediscovered and meet the audience once again by this means is now a guest of Kundura Cinema, adding an utterly different perspective to this selection focusing on suspicion and spying.

Director        | STANLEY KUBRICK

USA / 1964 / B&W / 93’ / DCP
English and Russian with Turkish sub.

Screenplay | Stanley Kubrick, Terry Southern
Cast            | Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden

Adapted from the novel Red Alert of the author Peter George with the unique creativity of the mastermind director Stanley Kubrick, Dr. Strangelove is a black humor fascinating the audience. It is regarded amongst the top movies reflecting the political and military dynamics of the Cold War period, despite the absurd elements it harbors; it focuses on the nuclear and politic tension between the Soviets and US in a very sarcastic perspective.

Having received many rewards in the best picture including BAFTA, Dr. Strangelove centers around the warlike soldiers planning a nuclear doomsday.

Due to a series of military and political coincidences, two psychopath generals (Commander of the US Air Forces, Jack D. Ripper and the Commander of the US Armed Forces, Staff "Buck" Turgidson) ignite the wick of a nuclear attack to the strategic points in Russia. The brain of this plan is Dr. Strangelove, who has strange ideas on the future of humans. Both the President and Captain Mandrake, the only person to stop these men, have become desperate.

A movie with plot twist both in the storyline and characters was approved by the audience. Peter Sellers acts out three characters; Captain Mandrake, President Merkin Muffley and Dr. Strangelove. Defined as “nightmare comedy” by the director Kubrick, Dr. Strangelove depicts a total Cold War paranoia for the audience, with its tragicomic story and the references to the political and military systems getting out of hand with the ambition for power. 

Director        | ALFRED HITCHCOCK

USA / 1959 / Colour / 136’ / DCP
English and French with Turkish sub.

Screenplay | Ernest Lehman
Cast            | Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason

Setting off with the theme of suspicion and spying, it is impossible not to mention the exciting masterpiece North by Northwest of Alfred Hitchcock, a mastermind director of thriller movies. Just like all his movies, Hitchcock blends the suspicion brilliantly here, enchants the audience and leads the way to a story with full adrenalin.  

As one of the most unique productions in the history of cinema and watched curiously till the end, North by Northwest has the notable actor of the period, Cary Grant in the leading role. Grant plays the character Roger Thornhill in the movie, an ordinary individual in New York whose life changes after being kidnapped as being mistaken for an agent named George Kaplan. Things get more and more complicated as Thornhill tries to vindicate himself and deny the allegations.      

The exciting run away and endeavors of Thornhill for vindicating himself simply take the breath of the audience throughout the movie, whereas the political dynamics of the Cold War period are displayed on the other hand.

Hitchcock combines these events full of suspicion and adrenalin, with a bit of romanticism and humor as well. With such nature, North by Northwest is regarded as the first in romantic thriller genre.    

Director | SIDNEY LUMET

USA / 1964 / B&W / 112’ / DCP
English with Turkish sub.

Screenplay | Walter Bernstein, Eugene Burdick
Cast            | Henry Fonda, Walter Matthau, Fritz Weaver

Fail Safe was adapted to the silver screen from the novel of American authors Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler with the same name. Directed by one of the most productive directors of Hollywood, Sidney Lumey, the movie arouses interest by its riveting storyline.

What happens if there is a nuclear attack in Moscow, due to an error in US military’s computer? Plus, in the Cold War period ... US President, characterized by the famous actor Henry Fonda will of course try to convince the Soviets that this is a technical failure. But, will these prevent the opponent to retaliate? What will the President do to solve this complication and prevent a potential war?     

Keeping the audience full excited from beginning till the end, Fail Safe becomes remarkable among the thriller movies focusing on the Cold War period in this respect. 

The similarity between the movie Fail Safe and Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove which Kundura Cinema offers in its selection during January and February has been discussed since 1964. These two movies addressing a similar storyline in two different ways meet their audience with two sessions in a row on Sunday, February 2nd at Kundura Cinema. You may witness this discussion of 55 years by watching these two movies in the same day. 

Director     | SHADI ABDEL SALAM

Egypt / 1969 / Colour / 103’ / DCP
Arabic with English & Turkish sub.

Screenplay | Chadi Abdel Salam
Cast            | Ahmed Marei, Ahmad Hegazi, Nadia Lutfi

As the first, and only full-length film that was managed to be completed before the Egyptian movie maker Shadi Abdel Salam passed away, Al-Mumia draws attention by its story basing on true story. Directed by Roberto Rossellini, an important representative of Italian new realism movement, the story starts when the precious artifacts of Tanis tribe of Ancient Egypt began showing up at market in 1881, it was discovered that members of the ancient Horbat tribe were secretly raiding Deir al-Bahari, the site of a legendary cache of royal mummies.  

Having a significant place in the Egyptian cinema, Al-Mumia was restored in 2009 by the World Cinema Foundation founded by Martin Scorsese, with the support of also the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. The film which had a chance to be rediscovered and meet the audience once again by this means is now a guest of Kundura Cinema, adding an utterly different perspective to this selection focusing on suspicion and spying.

Director | JAAK KILMI, GINTS GRUBE

Latvia, Germany, Czech Republic, Estonia / 2019 / Colour / 85’ / DCP
Latvian, English and Russian with Turkish sub.

The documentary titled My Father, The Spy tells the story of an ordinary Soviet student Ieva Lesinska in 1978, whose life becomes upside down after visiting her dad, who works as a Soviet agent in the headquarters of United Nations in New York. Being surprised  after meeting the dark side of her father and bearing the burden of the obligation to leave behind her old life, Ieva sets out on a journey to the past to find herself and understand the game she was part of. While Ieva confronts family secrets during this journey, the audience witnesses the background of the Cold War period. In other words, My Father, The Spy offers a general narration on the facts of the Cold War period, basing on a story of a single family.

The movie’s premiere was held in June 2019 at Sheffield Doc/Fest in United Kingdom. Directors of the film are the Latvian film-maker Gints Grube known for his documentary Sounds Under The Sun in 2010, and the Estonian documentary director Jaak Kilmi who took credit for the documentary Disco and Atomic War of the Soviet period similarly. Remarkable directors use their distinctive story telling techniques all together in this documentary and simply work miracles. The interviews and archive materials in the film are accompanied by the re-animation scenes from time to time, fictionalized on Ieva’s photographs.

Sunday Cinema Club

Director  | JERRY ZUCKER

USA / 1990 / Colour / 127’ / DCP
English with Turkish sub.

Screenplay | Bruce Joel Rubin
Cast             | Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg

Ghost has been regarded amongst the top special movies in the history of cinema, both by the perfect harmony between the costars Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore, and the mastermind composer, Maurice Jarre’s music imprinted on our minds just as the movie. It became the top watched movie of the year 1990 once it began to play in theaters. Exhibiting its success in the box office at many award ceremonies including the Oscars, the movie meets with the audience once again within Kundura Cinema’s Sunday Club event.

As a movie the director Jerry Zucker shot on his own for the first time, independently from Jim Abrahams and David Zucker, Ghost depicts a story of “life after death”... Banker Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) and his ceramic artist girlfriend Molly Jensen (Demi Moore), restore and start living in an apartment at Manhattan, with the help of Sam’s colleague Carl Bruner (Tony Goldwyn). One night, Sam tells Carl about his suspicions on the shady bank accounts with high amounts of money. He refuses the assistance of Carl and decides to solve this matter on his own. Sam and Molly are attacked by a thief on the same night; the thief murders Sam before stealing his wallet. Seeing Molly crying right next to him, Sam understands that he has turned into a ghost now; no one sees or hears him anymore in the world of mortals. Except for one person; Psychic Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg).

The movie received the “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” Oscar for Goldberg, as well as the award for the “Best Screenplay” in 1991.

Hollywood Classics

Director  | DAVID LEAN

USA, UK, Italy / 1965 / Colour / 197’ / DCP
English, Russian and French with Turkish sub.

Screenplay | Boris Pasternak, Robert Bolt
Cast             | Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine Chaplin

As one of the top unforgettable movies in the history of cinema, Doctor Zhivago meets the audience once again within the scope of Hollywood Classics screening on the last Friday of every month at Kundura Cinema. Screening in the special atmosphere of Beykoz Kundura with tasty treats, the movie promises a memorable experience to the audience.

Dramatized from the Nobel winning first novel of the author Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago was directed by the famous British director David Lean. Egyptian actor in the leading role, Omar Sharif impresses the audience by his Doctor Zhivago performance, which had a vital role in his international popularity.   

The movie with a setting during the civil war period right after the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, centers around Yuri Zhivago, both a poet and a doctor, falling in love with the revolutionary leader’s wife (Julia Christie), and the challenges he faces afterwards, being stuck between his life and dreams. Beyond this story of Zhivago, audience witnesses the political dynamics of the revolution process and the social chaos in Moscow. Being a period drama in this sense, Doctor Zhivago draws attention by its memorable scenes, as well as its historical and heroic style. Likewise, Oscars it has won in 1966 for “Best Cinematography”, “Best Art Direction”, and “Best Costume” simply prove this. 

The movie also received the “Best Adaptation Scenario” and “Best Original Music” Oscar awards. The music accompanying the memorable scenes, on the other hand, belong to Maurice Jarre, one of the most remarkable composers when it comes to film soundtracks.

Director | JAAK KILMI, GINTS GRUBE

Latvia, Germany, Czech Republic, Estonia / 2019 / Colour / 85’ / DCP
Latvian, English and Russian with Turkish sub.

The documentary titled My Father, The Spy tells the story of an ordinary Soviet student Ieva Lesinska in 1978, whose life becomes upside down after visiting her dad, who works as a Soviet agent in the headquarters of United Nations in New York. Being surprised  after meeting the dark side of her father and bearing the burden of the obligation to leave behind her old life, Ieva sets out on a journey to the past to find herself and understand the game she was part of. While Ieva confronts family secrets during this journey, the audience witnesses the background of the Cold War period. In other words, My Father, The Spy offers a general narration on the facts of the Cold War period, basing on a story of a single family.

The movie’s premiere was held in June 2019 at Sheffield Doc/Fest in United Kingdom. Directors of the film are the Latvian film-maker Gints Grube known for his documentary Sounds Under The Sun in 2010, and the Estonian documentary director Jaak Kilmi who took credit for the documentary Disco and Atomic War of the Soviet period similarly. Remarkable directors use their distinctive story telling techniques all together in this documentary and simply work miracles. The interviews and archive materials in the film are accompanied by the re-animation scenes from time to time, fictionalized on Ieva’s photographs.

Original title | Das Leben der Anderen
Director        | FLORIAN HENCKEL VON DONNERSMARCK

Germany / 2006 / Colour /137’ / DCP
German with Turkish sub.

Screenplay | Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Cast            | Ulrich Mühe, Martina Gedeck, Sebastian Koch

The first movie of the German director Florian Henckel Donnersmarck, The Lives of Others was admired both by movie critics and the audience since its premiere in 2006. It was in many festivals including !f Istanbul; played to a full house whenever it was screened. The film also won an Oscar for “The Best Foreign Language Film of the Year” the same year. 

Succeeded in being amongst the important classics of the German cinema, The Lives of Others focuses on the oppressive regime in the East Germany right before the fall of Berlin Wall. The story centers around Gerd Wiesler, a secret police in a kind of secret intelligence service (Stasi) affiliated to Ministry for State Security. Agent Wisler is characterized by the famous German actor Ulrich Mühe, known from his performance in 1997 movie called Funny Games of Haneke.

Gerd Wiesler is charged with conducting surveillance on the playwright Georg Dreyman (Sebastian Koch) and his girlfriend Christa-Maria Sieland (Martina Gedeck). The purpose is to find an evidence proving the anti-regime acts of those two. However, things don’t go as planned. When Wiesler understands that the playwright he spies out indeed does not oppose to regime and not act suspicious, he realizes that there is another purpose underlying the task. Intervening with the playwright’s life more and more each day, Wiesler assists him in time, in ways that he cannot even realize; a secret friendship therefore appears between them. 

The Lives of Others briefly draws attention to the oppressive atmosphere brought by the ambition of remaining in power and the humanistic emotions blooming even in this retrogressive ambiance. 

Hollywood Classics

Director  | DAVID LEAN

USA, UK, Italy / 1965 / Colour / 197’ / DCP
English, Russian and French with Turkish sub.

Screenplay | Boris Pasternak, Robert Bolt
Cast             | Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine Chaplin

As one of the top unforgettable movies in the history of cinema, Doctor Zhivago meets the audience once again within the scope of Hollywood Classics screening on the last Friday of every month at Kundura Cinema. Screening in the special atmosphere of Beykoz Kundura with tasty treats, the movie promises a memorable experience to the audience.

Dramatized from the Nobel winning first novel of the author Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago was directed by the famous British director David Lean. Egyptian actor in the leading role, Omar Sharif impresses the audience by his Doctor Zhivago performance, which had a vital role in his international popularity.   

The movie with a setting during the civil war period right after the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, centers around Yuri Zhivago, both a poet and a doctor, falling in love with the revolutionary leader’s wife (Julia Christie), and the challenges he faces afterwards, being stuck between his life and dreams. Beyond this story of Zhivago, audience witnesses the political dynamics of the revolution process and the social chaos in Moscow. Being a period drama in this sense, Doctor Zhivago draws attention by its memorable scenes, as well as its historical and heroic style. Likewise, Oscars it has won in 1966 for “Best Cinematography”, “Best Art Direction”, and “Best Costume” simply prove this. 

The movie also received the “Best Adaptation Scenario” and “Best Original Music” Oscar awards. The music accompanying the memorable scenes, on the other hand, belong to Maurice Jarre, one of the most remarkable composers when it comes to film soundtracks.