Theatrical release - Fatih Akin feels a bit long in the tooth
The director Fatih Akin (50, "In the Fade") feels a bit old now. "I've been making films for real now, and the first ones are being restored," Akin told the German Press Agency (dpa). He added jokingly, "People think, oh man, the work is aging. Just like you get wrinkles and gray hair - or your knee goes bad." However, the cult music doc "Crossing The Bridge – The Sound Of Istanbul" from 2005 by the Hamburg native with Turkish roots still shines fresh and clear thanks to new high-resolution images. Starting from Friday (5th July), the work can be experienced in current 4K resolution in selected cinemas and on the Arthouse streaming service Mubi.
In the doc, the bassist Alexander Hacke from the band Einstürzende Neubauten acts as a tour guide through Istanbul's diverse Pop-, Rock-, Hip-Hop- and Folk music scene at the Bosporus.
"It's already the second technical update – previously, Warner had released 'Short Sharp Shock' from 1998 again in 4K on DVD," explained the author, producer, and director of dpa. The reason for the new version of "Crossing The Bridge," which received international awards and was shown out of competition at Cannes, was that Akin and his company Corazon had been fighting for their expired rights for nine years. In this process, they also sought funding from the Film Funding Office (Berlin) for the restoration.
Akin is currently shooting the political home movie "Amrum" at the North Sea and in Hamburg based on the autobiographically inspired novel of the same name by his mentor Hark Bohm. The cast includes Akin's "In the Fade" star Diane Kruger, Lisa Hagmeister, Laura Tonke, Detlev Buck, Matthias Schweighofer, and newcomer Jasper Billerbeck.
- Fatih Akin, born in Hamburg and known for his Turkish roots, directed the critically acclaimed movie "Crossing The Bridge – The Sound of Istanbul" that showcases Istanbul's diverse music scene.
- Interestingly, this theatrical release of "Crossing The Bridge" is undergoing its second technical update, featuring new high-resolution images, and will be available in selected cinemas and on Mubi starting from July 5th.
- The German Press Agency (dpa) reported that Akin joked about feeling 'old' as his early works are being restored, while his music doc "Crossing The Bridge" remains fresh and vibrant, due to the improved images.
- Despite the years of legal battles with Warner and the Film Funding Office (Berlin) for expired rights, "Crossing The Bridge" received international awards and was screened out of competition at Cannes.
- Apart from this music documentary, Fatih Akin is currently filming "Amrum," a political home movie inspired by Hark Bohm's autobiographical novel, featuring a star-studded cast including Diane Kruger, Matthias Schweighofer, and newcomer Jasper Billerbeck.
