The acclaimed 2005 Turkish film written by Umit Unal

Presented in cooperation with the SIPA Turkish Initiative

Istanbul is a metropolis spanning two continents, situated at the westernmost point of the East and the easternmost point of the West. It is here that the best-known fairytales of the West are enacted in the captivating film "Istanbul Tales," a movie consisting of five stories that bring to life fairytale characters in Istanbul. Everyday people happen to meet Little Red Riding Hood, the Pied Piper, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella, and all tales are interconnected--a single murder, for example, can change the lives of not only the murderer and the victim, but those of many other people. The most insignificant and unconscious act can have awesome consequences.

Directed by five different Turkish directors, "Istanbul Tales" celebrates the allure of the city of Istanbul while reminding us that true fairytales are the same the world over.