The Contribution of Films to the Construction of Memory on Forced Migration: Reception of the Films Dedemin İnsanları (My Grandfather's People) and Politiki Kouzina (A Touch of Spice)

• Main Author: Sıla Levent
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hacettepe University 2016-12-01
• Series: Momentdergi
• Subjects: toplumsal bellek; travma; sinema; filmlerin alımlanması; izleyici
• Online Access: http://www.momentdergi.org/index.php/momentdergi/article/view/209

<p>This research focuses on how white-collars’ receive the films with the theme of the forced migration of Turks and Rums. By this means, the effects of cinema on forming and altering collective memory can be seen through the meaning of specific subjects. The films <em>Dedemin İnsanları </em>(<em>My Grandfather’s People</em>, Çağan Irmak, 2011), and <em>A Touch of Spice/Politiki Kouzina </em>(Tasos Baulmetis, 2003) were chosen as examples. The techniques used were reception studies draw on the tradition of Cultural Studies and ethnographic data collection.  20 people residing in Ankara- (ranging in age from 25 to 55) were interviewed between March 2016 and May 2016 within the scope of the fieldwork of the research. During the period of two months, forty semi-structured interviews were conducted, each interviewee being met twice. Analysis of the interviews were examined within a political and psychological frame. According to the findings of this study, it is seen that movies has a significant role on collective memory in the sense of forming or changing it.</p>