On the humid August evenings of Istanbul, there is nothing quite like slipping away from the crowds of Istiklal Street to take refuge in a dimly lit auditorium, sinking into those red seats, and diving into other worlds through the light reflected on the screen. If you are among those who cannot leave the city during the summer months, İBB Kültür comes to our rescue with wonderful news. The heart of Istanbul, İBB Beyoğlu Cinema, opens its doors throughout the month of August with a tremendous selection ranging from romance to sci-fi, laugh-out-loud comedies to heartwarming animations—and completely free of charge.
Our cinema journey begins on Friday evening, August 7, at that famous moment when the turntable needle touches the vinyl, with Çağan Irmak’s cult film Issız Adam (Alone). Just one day after that modern-day melancholy where Alper hugs Ada and says, “You remained imprisoned in me,” (August 8), we turn our route to 19th-century England. In Joe Wright’s enchanting adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, we will once again leave our hearts on the screen with Mr. Darcy’s confession against a misty morning: “You have bewitched me, body and soul.” In the following days of the month (August 22), while witnessing that whispered farewell under Tokyo’s neon lights with Sofia Coppola’s modern classic Lost in Translation, we will be swept into the literary melancholy of the Shakespearean era with Chloé Zhao’s brand-new and poetic film Hamnet (August 21).
However, the August program isn’t just about tears and love; productions that will challenge our minds and bend our perception of space-time will also be on screen. Passing through wormholes with Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece Interstellar on Friday evening, August 14, we will once again feel on the big screen the goosebump-inducing philosophical weight of the line, “Love is the one thing we’re capable of perceiving that transcends dimensions of time and space.” For sci-fi enthusiasts, Jess Varley’s The Astronaut is also waiting on the list for August 15. Those looking for a flawless script and psychological thriller should mark Saturday, August 29, in their calendars right now. Justine Triet’s marvel Anatomy of a Fall, winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes and an Oscar from the Academy, will immerse the audience in a breathtaking search for truth in a courtroom colder than snow.
If you say, “We need to laugh a bit, our nerves are frayed,” you are invited on August 28 to the chaotic and bulletproof world of the Mermer family, to Ali Atay’s absurd laughter-filled Ölümlü Dünya. Of course, little moviegoers haven’t been forgotten in this feast either. Throughout August, every Sunday at 15:00, there is a “Children’s Matinee“. The Missing Princess, that sweet robot WALL·E who emerges from piles of trash and melts our hearts saying “Eee-va”, Arco standing out with its visual language, and The Incredibles who aren’t quite successful at hiding their superpowers are ready and waiting to introduce the little ones to the unique magic of cinema.
All screenings in this historic theater, which comes alive six days a week and continues to keep cinema culture alive in the heart of Beyoğlu, are free of charge. But remember, those red seats are limited! Don’t forget to follow İBB Beyoğlu Cinema’s social media accounts to examine the screening times in detail and reserve your free tickets before they run out.
