As the Ottoman Empire comes to an end, an old servant spins a tale to keep the women in the Sultan’s harem distracted. The story is about Safiye, who first becomes the Sultan’s favorite concubine, and later the official wife. As she gains power and influence, she engages in a tryst with Nadir, the black eunuch. When the Empire falls, the Sultan escapes to Europe, leaving all the concubines behind. Safiye fights for their rights under the new order…
Director: Ferzan Özpetek.
Stars: Marie Gillain, Alex Descas, Lucía Bosé, Valeria Golino, Malick Bowens, Christophe Aquillon, Serra Yilmaz, Haluk Bilginer, Pelin Batu.
1999 Cannes Film Festival – Nominated for the Un Certain Regard Award.
RIP Lucia Bosè (28 January 1931 – 23 March 2020).
This was very heavy. I got sort of lost at times. I can feel for the people who had such an abrupt change in their life.
God help us. Total garbage that has more pretence per frame than I could count. Terrible.. Terrible. Terrible.