Östürkreich

Östürkreich - Pride and Prejudice I and II

The search for identity and cultural background touches most of us. This film project asks for historicalbackground of our common fruitful Austrian-Turkish history, sometimes friendly, sometimes hostile era of our connections. The urgent questions of presence, prejudices, differences and commonalities in living together show how important these issues are today. Different points of view that influence the present situation of different cultures are put for discussion.

How do we want to treat each other and how do we want to live together?

The Film

The documentary firstly highlights the Austrian-Turkish relationships starting with the Osmanian sieges from the 16th century until today. The changing, sometimes friendly, sometimes hostile, relation between both countries, shall be looked at.

Starting with a historical discussion in the above mentioned first part the second part of the film deals with the ongoing intercultural topics. Prejudice, fear, the ongoing integration discussion and participants from politics, economy, education and media play important roles. The producer Baris Dilaver asks different people with their points of view and respective experience concerning present situation.

Where does the influences of foreign cultures harm the domestic culture and why? Does it really harm or can’t we enrich our own presence by foreign influence approaching open dialogue and focusing on more fruitful exchange on all levels of life?

The documentary film and Crowdfunding

Östürkreich needs you all!

The documentary is already finished and shall be published to broad public after finalized. I am happy to invite you after your donation to cinema premiere. (funds to be raised at a minimum of EUR 5’000) The more participation I can achieve, the more easily the topics might be discussed in public. Any other issues such as cinema premiere for broader audience and/or podium discussion might be possible in case we get high financial attendance, therefore we intend to achieve around EUR 10’000-15’000 for significant attention.

The vision of filmmaker Baris Dilaver

The objective of the film is to make interested audience aware of the topic. The topic shall be thought of, put in public discussion and made subject to solution issues.

To be honest: the common living of differe

Let us ourselves enrich by the diversity!

Baris Dilaver – filmmaker and choreographer

Rise, Movement, and an open Future– these terms shape my life and this film. They stand against static view points prejudices.

Born in Istanbul, I left my home country soon after becoming a ballet dancer. Engagements at the Vienna State Opera and with Cirque du Soleil allowed me to visit countries all over the world. During that time I began to independently produce documentaries for the realm of theatre, fascinated as I was by these media and their possibilities.

Then in 2007, a severe accident marked the end of my career on stage and a turning point in my life. Feeling deprived of my identity as a dancer, I returned to my second home, Vienna. Having left the glamorous and inclusive world of show business, I did recognize the resentments that the «Golden Viennese Heart» had for a Turk like me.

During my search for an answer, I examined the image of Turkey in Austria: What does integration mean? How are we influenced by politics and the media in our social life? And how much do we really know about each other and our common history?