Istanbul Echoes

They sell everything – cloth, food, curtains – in the streets of Istanbul, and some of them have been at it for more than 50 years. But their way of life is about to change. With their city quickly gentrifying, the authorities want to create a “modern and clean” environment. In just five years, working-class neighbourhoods have been demolished, their residents displaced. For these street vendors, there’s more than their livelihood at stake: their entire culture and traditions are threatened. It’s a concern that comes to the attention of some Turkish youth, including a particular activist hip-hop group. Pacing her film with skilfully used urban ambient sounds, Giulia Frati has followed this evolving situation for nearly a decade.

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