HAMAM

Italy, 1997, 95 minutes, Colour.

Alessandro  Gassmann, Francesca D'Aloja,Carlo Cecchi, Halil Ergun, Serif Sezer, Mehmet Gunsur, Basak Kokluka, Alberto Molinari, Zozo Toledo.

Directed by Ferzan Ozpetek.

Hamam is the Turkish word for steam baths, a strong Turkish tradition.

This is a first feature film by Turkish director, Ferzan Ozpetek, who obviously has a great affection for Istanbul as it becomes a character in this film, the familiar vistas, the waterways, the neighbourhoods, the streets, the baths… However, he left Turkey and settled in Italy and remained there, making films for the next decades.

Over the decades, the director has had a strong interest in dramatising gay themes, sometimes the characters, sometimes the issues, very strongly and more openly from the late 2010s, Goddess of Fortune and the issue of gay fathers adopting and bringing up children, Nuovo Olympo, more visually explicit, the study of a relationship that begins intensely separation in space and time.

Alessandro Gassman plays Francesco, an architect designer, married, the relationship as seen somewhat brittle, and the discovery that the wife was having an affair with a partner. Scenes in Rome.

However, an old lady dies in Istanbul, Francesco’s aunt, leaving him the Hamam that she began and which has now lost its popularity and is in a state of disrepair. Francesco has to come to terms with this, his relationship with his aunt, finding letters she had written to his mother which had been returned unread, explaining the attraction and the delight of living in Istanbul. The local family, strong personalities, welcome him.

A chance experience at the baths changes his attitude, clashes with his agent who wants the property sold for setting up a shopping centre, his entering wholeheartedly into the renovation of the baths. At the same time, he is attracted towards the young man of the family. His wife then arrives, intending to divorce him, discovering his relationship, a melodramatic scene at the dinner table. However, the wife comes to understand her husband a bit more.

The ending is quite unexpected and unexplained, Francesco stabbed by a visitor front door and dying in the street. A sad effect on the family. A sobering effect on his wife – and her wandering Istanbul, having read the letters of the aunt and how liberating it has been to live in that city.

1. The films of the director, his first film, his Turkish origin, settling in Italy? His relationship themes, gay themes?
2. The Italian locations, Rome, homes, business, interior restorations? The Turkish locations, the views of Istanbul, affection for Istanbul, the noted sites, the vistas, the streets, the homes, the baths? The musical score?
3. Introduction to Marta and Francesco, the marriage, brittle, business association, interior decorations, contracts, absences from home, Marta and her relationship with Paolo?
4. The Istanbul story, the house, the maid, the death of the old lady, grief in the street? The neighbourhood, so many people gathering, the bonding? Her will, leaving the baths to her nephew? The further elaboration of her story, her letters to her sister, returned unread, her moving from Italy, at home in Istanbul, kindness, love, settling, freedom of spirit, the baths?
5. Francesco, the news of his inheritance, his going to Turkey, meeting Zozo, Zozo and his agency, the contract for the baths, transformed into a shopping centre, the discussions, the hard lady dealing? Francesco, being welcomed, getting to know the family, to appeciate his aunt, his memories of her when he was a boy? His wanting to get back home, contact with Marta, wanting the sale to go through, in a hurry?
6. The family, the kindly mother, the dignified father, the daughter studying, the son as cameraman? The bonding, the meals? Oscar as family friend, confidant?
7. Francesco, wandering, in the rain, the baths, his being invited in, the experience of the baths?
8. His change of heart, deciding to renovate the baths, their state of disrepair? The plans, the work, decoration, design, his involvement? The support of the family, the spirit of the family and neighbourhood? Francesco and his being attracted to Mehmet?
9. Marta, her arrival, her manner, her relationship with Paolo, bringing the documents? Being welcomed by the family, accommodation, her manner, wandering the city and enjoying it, the rain, giving her ring to the old lady?
10. The night, the relationship between Francesco and Mehmet? The eruption at the dinner table? The argument, the effect on each of them? Taunts? But a certain understanding, Marta wanting to move out, the discussions with Oscar, some affection for Francesco?
11. The shock of the ending, the assault on the street, Francesco stabbed, Mehmet and blood, everyone at the hospital, his death? Marta visiting?
12. Francesco giving Marta the letters of his aunt, her reading them, her looking at Istanbul through this perspective, and her future and Istanbul?