Istanbul Beneath My Wings
Encyclopedia
Istanbul Beneath My Wings (Original Turkish title: İstanbul Kanatlarımın Altında) is a 1996
Turkish
film, written and directed by Mustafa Altıoklar
. It is a dramatization of Hezarfen Ahmet Çelebi
's reported flight across the Bosphorus from Galata.
Hezarfen and Hasan are caught examining a dead body (which is against the law) and sent to be executed. At the intervention of the Sultan, they are sent for a court trial.
Hasan tries to justify the research and experiments by claiming that they could be used as a weapon to defeat the enemies of the Ottomans. Murat forbids experiments on dead human bodies but gives his blessing to the duo's research on flying, hoping for a new army of flying soldiers that could get past ground level barriers like walls and the sea, and drop bombs. To go about their task, Hezarfen and Hasan tell Murat of the undeciperable script and ask him to release the girl from the dungeon.
The script belongs to Leonardo da Vinci
and they realise that he too had the same idea of flying with wings, but the text is coded so they are unable to read it. Hezarfan and the girl (whose name turns out to be Franceska) fall in love. After witnessing some fireworks, Hasan tries experimenting with rockets and during a grand launch, manages to reach a reasonable altitude before bailing out and landing in the water below. When some drinks are accidentally spilt on the manuscript, the coded text becomes visible and Hezarfen uses his own ideas and that of Da Vinci's to build a flying machine consisting of artificial wings. The conservative Şeyh-ül İslam who is against Hezarfen tries to turn the Sultan against him. He succeeds when the Sultan bans Hezarfen from flying and orders his arrest. Hezarfen (with Franceska) manages to escape with the help of Evliya Çelebi
to the Maiden's Tower and launches his flying machine across the bosphorus.
1996 in film
Major releases this year included Scream, Independence Day, Fargo, Trainspotting, The English Patient, Twister, Mars Attacks!, Jerry Maguire and a version of Evita starring Madonna.-Events:...
Turkish
Cinema of Turkey
Turkish cinema is an important part of Turkish culture, and has flourished over the years, delivering entertainment to audiences in Turkey, expatriates across Europe, and in rare cases, the USA....
film, written and directed by Mustafa Altıoklar
Mustafa Altioklar
Mustafa Altıoklar is a Turkish film director, producer and screenwriter.He was born in Ankara, Turkey in 1958. His childhood house overlooked a projection room, owned by the Board of Censors, where the members of the board were cutting the films...
. It is a dramatization of Hezarfen Ahmet Çelebi
Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi
Hezârfen Ahmed Çelebi was a legendary Ottoman aviator of 17th-century Constantinople , purported to have achieved sustained unpowered flight.-Alleged flight:...
's reported flight across the Bosphorus from Galata.
Plot
The film takes place in the 17th century. Two brothers Hezarfen Ahmet Çelebi and his brother Lagari Hasan Çelebi are researching bird flight. The new Sultan Murat IV resists the domination of his mother, the Valide Kösem Sultan and tries to enforce strict law and order in the empire. Meanwhile, a Venetian ship that has been captured by Algerian pirates is brought into Istanbul. One of those on the ship is a girl with a manuscript showing how to fly, the latter of which comes into Hezarfen's possession. However, this manuscript can't be deciphered by anyone.Hezarfen and Hasan are caught examining a dead body (which is against the law) and sent to be executed. At the intervention of the Sultan, they are sent for a court trial.
Hasan tries to justify the research and experiments by claiming that they could be used as a weapon to defeat the enemies of the Ottomans. Murat forbids experiments on dead human bodies but gives his blessing to the duo's research on flying, hoping for a new army of flying soldiers that could get past ground level barriers like walls and the sea, and drop bombs. To go about their task, Hezarfen and Hasan tell Murat of the undeciperable script and ask him to release the girl from the dungeon.
The script belongs to Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
and they realise that he too had the same idea of flying with wings, but the text is coded so they are unable to read it. Hezarfan and the girl (whose name turns out to be Franceska) fall in love. After witnessing some fireworks, Hasan tries experimenting with rockets and during a grand launch, manages to reach a reasonable altitude before bailing out and landing in the water below. When some drinks are accidentally spilt on the manuscript, the coded text becomes visible and Hezarfen uses his own ideas and that of Da Vinci's to build a flying machine consisting of artificial wings. The conservative Şeyh-ül İslam who is against Hezarfen tries to turn the Sultan against him. He succeeds when the Sultan bans Hezarfen from flying and orders his arrest. Hezarfen (with Franceska) manages to escape with the help of Evliya Çelebi
Evliya Çelebi
Evliya Çelebi was an Ottoman traveler who journeyed through the territory of the Ottoman Empire and neighboring lands over a period of forty years.- Life :...
to the Maiden's Tower and launches his flying machine across the bosphorus.
Cast
- Ege Aydan - Hezarfen Ahmet ÇelebiHezarfen Ahmet CelebiHezârfen Ahmed Çelebi was a legendary Ottoman aviator of 17th-century Constantinople , purported to have achieved sustained unpowered flight.-Alleged flight:...
- Okan BayülgenOkan BayülgenOkan Bayülgen is a Turkish actor, variety and talk show host, comedian and photographer.-Biography:Bayülgen was born on March 23, 1964 in Istanbul, Turkey, the son of a lawyer father and a painter mother....
- Lagari Hasan ÇelebiLagari Hasan ÇelebiLagari Hasan Çelebi was a legendary Ottoman aviator who, according to an account written by Evliya Çelebi, made a successful manned rocket flight.-Account:... - Beatriz Rico - Francesca
- Burak Sergen - Sultan Murat IV
- Savaş Ay - Bekri Mustafa
- Zuhal OlcayZuhal OlcayZuhal Olcay is a famous Turkish actress and singer.-Biography:She started first as an actress in 1980's and became famous with films like "Amansız Yol", "Kurşun Ata Ata Biter", "Bir Avuç Gökyüzü", "Halkalı Köle" and "Dünden Sonra Yarından Önce"...
- Kösem Sultan - Haluk BilginerHaluk BilginerHaluk Bilginer is a Turkish actor. In addition to his acting career in Turkey, he has also worked in the United Kingdom and remains best known for his role as Mehmet Osman in the television soap opera EastEnders during the 1980s. He has also starred in Hollywood movies as a minor actor...
- Evliya ÇelebiEvliya ÇelebiEvliya Çelebi was an Ottoman traveler who journeyed through the territory of the Ottoman Empire and neighboring lands over a period of forty years.- Life :... - Tuncel KurtizTuncel KurtizTuncel Kurtiz is a Turkish theatre, movie and TV series actor, playwright and film director. Since 1964, he has acted in more than 70 movies, including many international productions.- Biography :...
- Topal Recep Paşa - Giovanni ScognamilloGiovanni ScognamilloGiovanni Scognamillo is a Turkish film critic.Scognamillo was born to a family of Italian Levantines; his father was the son of an immigrant from Naples and his mother was descended from Genoese settlers of Tinos...
- Antonio Ağa - Berke Hürcan - Musa Çelebi
- Akasya Asıltürkmen - Leyla Hazer
- Cüneyt Çalışkur - Şeyh-ül İslam