A look at the city's identity: Beyoğlu Cinema opens its doors
Beyoğlu Cinema, which was taken over and renovated by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, has reopened its doors to the street, to Istiklal, after a one-year hiatus.
Kardelen İnce
I don't know if Beyoğlu will return to its old days, but Beyoğlu Cinema, one of the old values of Beyoğlu, reunited with its audience on Wednesday after a one-year break.
Beyoğlu Cinema, which has served the city's cinema culture since 1989 within the Aleppo Passage (Halep Pasajı) built in 1885, was taken over by the IMM after it reached the point of closure and underwent a one-year restoration process.
THE IDENTITY OF ISTIKLAL: THE CULTURE OF SPACE
Before the cinema opened its doors, I walked Istiklal—or Cadde-i Kebir, as it was formerly known—twice. Looking closely at the street, I realized that Beyoğlu Cinema, which opens its doors to Istiklal, Istanbul's most famous spot, is exactly what needs to be a breath of fresh air right now. As you know, there are no longer the voices of polyphonic street artists mingling with each other along the street in Istiklal. The patisseries and bookstores that are a legacy of its identity are gone. What is there instead? It is hard to believe, but there are uniform shops, three or five of them, senselessly piled up one after another by the same chain stores. There are also chain coffee brands, tantuni shops, and hookah lounges. That is why keeping Beyoğlu Cinema alive and allowing it to enchant us once again with its polyphonic films is more important than ever.
THE LOST SOUL OF THE CITY
Especially in recent times, posts shared on social media with a longing for the old Beyoğlu and the old Taksim are quite popular. Well, in such an atmosphere, how could the reopening of Beyoğlu Cinema not inspire hope?
In an iconic spot like Istiklal, what is lost is quickly replaced, of course. Lebon, İnci, and Markiz Patisseries, Emek Cinema, Pandora Bookstore, and many other symbols of Beyoğlu are venues that keep the city's culture alive. Some were displaced by the pandemic, some by the changing order, and some by rising rents.
Yet, the only things that give a city its character and sense of community are culture and the venues that keep that culture alive. Beyoğlu Cinema has also overcome many hardships before our eyes; it resisted countless times and stood with a handful of people against the transformation of Taksim that went hand in hand with degeneration.
With the economy, terrorism, and reactionism, some might say, "Who cares if Beyoğlu Cinema is open or closed?" Indeed, a large part of the crowd that piled up at the door on the opening day dispersed upon Ekrem İmamoğlu's exit, unaware of the cinema. Just like the identity of Istiklal, which is silently fading before our eyes... Unfortunately, we are once again unfocused, unaware, and meaningless.
'TIME TO LOVE' BEYOĞLU CINEMA
The cinema, which screened Metin Erksan's film "Time to Love" (Sevmek Zamanı) at its opening, reminded us once again with this choice that we should not break away from what makes us who we are, what unites us, and from loving, in a time that reeks of the individual and capitalism. It is time to leave the comfortable areas of shopping malls, which gather all our needs in one place but for some reason never give a sense of satisfaction. Moreover, we no longer have the excuse of dampness or smell for Beyoğlu Cinema. Beyoğlu Cinema, which has hosted lovers, friends, and all kinds of people and stories in its seats for 34 years, has now passed through master hands in a way that its original texture will not be spoiled, and it is now waiting for its new guests.