HAMAM (1997)

Alessandro Gassman & Mehmet Günsür star in out writer/director Ferzan Özpetek’s critically acclaimed 1997 film HAMAM (or, Steam: The Turkish Bath).

HAMAM

(Steam: The Turkish Bath)

1997. Italy/Turkey/Spain.

 Director: Ferzan Özpetek

Screenplay: Ferzan Özpetek

Starring: Alessandro Gassmann, Francesca D'Aloja, Halil Ergün, Şerif Sezer, Mehmet Günsür & Carlo Cecchi

In HAMAM, Francesco (Gassman) and Marta (Francesca d’Aloja) are an unhappily married couple that run a successful interior design company together. The two reside in Italy, but Francesco travels to Istanbul where his Aunt has left him a home in her will. A married couple live on the property, and maintain it, with the help of their son Mehmet (Günsür) and daughter Fusun (Basak Köklükaya). The family welcomes the handsome stranger upon his arrival, though they worry about their future if he decides to sell their home.

Their worries are warranted, as Francesco is interested in selling. Though after he discovers the potential buyers want to flatten the neighbourhood and turn it into a resort, he decides not to sell. Instead, he puts his time into resurrecting the property’s hamam and bonding with the family. Francesco and Mehmet become especially close. When Marta leaves Italy to join him, she discovers the two men are having an affair. As the film progresses, tensions between the couple continue to build, culminating in an unexpected, shocking ending.

The New York Times noted in 1997 that HAMAM was popular in Turkey, and that the film was intended to represent the country at the 1998 Academy Awards. Unfortunately, Turkey’s Culture Ministry went against the independent film board’s decision to feature the film and replaced it with a heterosexual romance. Despite this change in plans, HAMAM was a favourite amongst critics and received numerous awards and nominations at international film festivals.

HAMAM is streaming on YouTube, Kanopy (USA), available for rent/purchase through Amazon (USA), and also available on DVD.