The Cloth Peddler

  • January 25, 2014 / 16:00
  • February 2, 2014 / 16:00

Director: Nikolai Leshenko, Reza Tahmasib
Cast: Rashid Behbudov, Leila Bedirbeili, Lutfali Abdullayev
Azerbaijan; 95’, 1945, color
Azerbaijani with Turkish subtitles

The operetta “The Cloth Peddler/Arşın Mal Alan” a world-famous musical comedy from Azerbaijan was composed by legendary Azerbaijani composer Üzeyir Hacıbeyli. This comic and romantic operetta, which was ahead of its time and rich in national characteristics and realism, is about pure love, women’s rights, fight against outdated traditions, and aspiration for modern way of life free of damaging customs. Young Asgar wants to get married. He is a rich, successful businessman and has everything he could wish for except for one thing – a wife. Tradition does not allow him to choose his own bride. Marriages are customarily arranged and, in fact, it’s impossible for young men to even catch a glimpse of potential brides as they are secluded in their homes and never come out unveiled or unaccompanied. So Asker wanders from house to house as a poor peddler selling fabric. Eventually, he meets Gülçehre, the beautiful daughter of Sultan bey, a wealthy merchant. Asgar decides Gülçehre is the one he wants to marry. She, too, falls in love with him, although she knows him only as a peddler.

The Cloth Peddler

The Cloth Peddler

The Bat

The Bat

Buta

Buta

Fortress

Fortress

Holy Animal

Holy Animal

40th Door

40th Door

Chovkan

Chovkan

Steppe Man

Steppe Man

Kozbekçi Mustafa Ağa

Kozbekçi Mustafa Ağa

When Karl XII of Sweden was defeated by Tsar Peter the Great of Russia in 1709, he fled to the Ottoman Empire and settled in Bender with his entourage for five years.

Midnight Stories: The Red Button <br> Funda Özlem Şeran

Midnight Stories: The Red Button
Funda Özlem Şeran

It was a quiet night in the dessert. Even the mice weren’t around. A few LEDs blinked in the dark, and the sound of a fan filled the infinite void. The conversation cutting the silence seemed to go nowhere.

Today's Stories: Felis <br> Hande Ortaç

Today's Stories: Felis
Hande Ortaç

Inspired by the exhibition Istanbuls Today, Today's Stories series continues with Hande Ortaç's story "Felis"! This series gathers short stories written by authors encouraged by the photographs in the exhibition.