Synopsis
The Cıty And The Messıah is an essay-film that revolves around Sabbatai Zevi, a Jewish rabbi who declared himself the messiah in the 17th century in Izmir and gained followers from Izmir to Thessaloniki, Jerusalem to Amsterdam. We embark on a journey around the recently restored house where Zevi was born in the Agora district of Izmir and dive into the archive of the street. The collective memory triggered around the house offers clues about what official history excludes and the urban legends in circulation.
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Directors
Aylin Kuryel
Aylin Kuryel completed her BA in Psychology at Boğaziçi University. She completed her MA and PhD in Cultural Analysis (ASCA) at the University of Amsterdam on nationalism(ies) and image politics. She works as an academic in the Literary and Cultural Analysis department at the University of Amsterdam. Her documentaries include The City and the Messiah (2024), Ulysses Translation (2023), A Defense (2021), The Balcony and Our Dreams (2020), Cemile Sezgin (2020), Baştan Başa (2018), Hoşgeldin Lenin (2016).
Raşel Meseri
Born in Izmir, Raşel Meseri graduated from the Cinema-TV Department of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Ege University and has made various documentaries and short films. She has written theater plays, children's books and novels. Six books have been published in the 'Can’lı ve Işıltı’lı Maceralar' children's book series, many of which were published by Habitus Publications. Her novels 'Köpekbalıklarının Kayıp Şarkıları Delidolu Publications (2018)', 'Kırık Şehir (2020), Küt Oynayan Kadın (2021), Meskûn Zaman (2022) and Elza Niyego'nun Cenaze Alayı (2024)' were published by Alfa Publications. She also paints using the nail polish technique.