The Turkish Bath

Hamam

(1997)

Directed by
Ferzan Ozpetek

Writing credits
Ferzan Ozpetek (story)
Ferzan Ozpetek ...

Running Time: 101 Minutes

Starring: Carlo Cecchi, Francesca D'Aloja, Alessandro Gassman, Serif Sezer, Halil Ergun, Mehmet Gunsur

Synopsis
Tired of his troubled marriage and his profession, an overly tense Italian businessman's life changes dramatically after he learns that an aunt has left him property in Istanbul. Francesco Alessandro Gassman(the son of internationally renowned actor Vittorio Gassman) arrives to the Turkish city hoping that he can take care of the matter swiftly and return to Italy. He is surprised to discover that the property is actually one of the last traditional hamams (old-fashioned bath houses) in Turkey. The lawyer in charge of the inheritance seems to dawdle and this frustrates Francesco who is not used to the slow pace of the neighborhood where the bath is located. But then the family that has been running the Turkish bath for his aunt, takes him in and Francesco gradually rediscovers a long-missing sense of family as he accustoms himself to Turkish culture. Matters become complicated though when the couple's daughter Fusun falls for Francesco, who discovers himself increasingly and disconcertingly interested in her darkly handsome brother Mehmet. The Italian decides to remain in Istanbul for a while to help restore the baths. The situation comes to a head when Francesco's wife arrives to make an announcement. The ensuing conflicts cause Francesco great upheaval, but they also lead him to grow in unexpected ways. Having spent two decades in Italy, Turkish-born filmmaker Ferzan Ozpetek brings a sense of realism in observing the cultural differences between Francesco and his adopted family. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide


Francesco (played by Alessandro Gassman) is a busy, successful interior designer in Rome, though we later realize that has been through work sublimating the fact that he obviously does not get along too well with his beautiful, businesslike wife Marta (played by Francesca d’Aloja), who is spending a lot of time with her assistant Paolo (played by Alberto Molinari). Francesco has just learned that his aunt Anita in Istanbul has died, leaving him some property and personal effects to handle.

Although he asks Marta to go to Istanbul to take care of the matter, she refuses, since she well understands that women are not readily accepted in commercial transactions in that Moslem country. When Francesco arrives in Istanbul, he stays with the caretakers of his aunt’s property. Since his parents have recently died, he is touched to be treated as a member of the caretaker family, especially the son Mehmet (played by Mehmet Gunsur). Wandering about the city, he discovers friendly people in contrast with the impersonality of life in Rome and the institution of the hamam, that is, the Turkish bathhouse; when he enters one at the invitation of a stranger, he finds Mehmet having sex with another man.

Alessandro Gassman

The Italian actor Alessandro Gassman will be seen in French cinemas from August 3 playing the role of a criminal in The Transporter 2, written and produced by Luc Besson.

It's a spectacular action movie with a very strong international flavour, shot in Miami.

The big-budget film ($35m) is directed by Louis Le Terrier (Danny the dog) and Corey Yeun (responsible for the action scenes in The Tiger and the Dragon and Matrix) and the main character is played by Jason Statham, along with Matthew Modine and Amber Valletta.

40 year old Alessandro Gassman is also involved in the Gassman foundation dedicated to his father Vittorio, who died 5 years ago. He announced that the Foundation plans to organise an annual tribute to his father to be held at a theatre in Rome, involving a week-long series of events concentrating on one of his many passions.

Then in February 2006 the actor will be appearing on stage in The Force of Habit by Thomas Bernhard. "I'll be the director and playing the main part, a man who is 80 years old" he confirms.





Mehmet Gunsur

Mehmet Gunsur...a former DJ , barmaid...now he's a very well-known actor. He lives in Rome and do some movies and series for T.V. We first saw him on Hamam , a Turkish-Italian co-production. Movie's director Ferzan Ozpetek had discovered