Art has long been more progressive than politics. The formal relations between Greece and Turkey may not be in their greatest state for years now; the cinema, however, has shown that it can unite people even when politics work hard to do the opposite. This is exactly what we witnessed with the new movie of the German director with Turkish descend, Fatih Akin, "Soul kitchen", which took part in the 66th film festival in Venice that just ended. The moving story of two brothers of a Greek descend, Zinos and Ilias, deserved the special award of the festival after it claimed the admirations of the audience and the jury.
Zinos is a German of a Greek descend, living in Hamburg and owner of the luxury restaurant "Soul kitchen", but it an unfortunate period of his life. His girlfriend Nadin leaves him and goes to Shanghai and his brother Ilias, just released from prison, is constantly dragging him into troubles. This, however, is not all. A stock broker is attempting to take hold of his restaurant using subversive measures, and on top of it all Zinos gets a stiff back. This is when he decides to leave for Shanghai to look for Nadin and leaves the restaurant to his brother. Both his decisions lead to a disastrous end- when he finds Nadin she is with her new boyfriend and Ilias fails the restaurant and almost sells it to the broker.
Right here the charming comedy of Fatih Akin begins, using delicate humor to show how the two brothers grow close again and the tough process of realizing that only united they can escape victorious. "Soul kitchen" is dedicated to the city of Hamburg," says the 36-year old director, who proved two years ago, with the movie "At the edge of heaven" that he is one of the most promising names in the European cinema. I have consciously turned to comedy. I want to make people look positively on difficulties," admits the artist at a press conference in Venice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtv5BcDn-AA
The screenplay of "Soul kitchen" was prepared by the German actor of a Greek descend Adam Basdukos, who is also starring in the movie. Participating in the comedy is the owner of the restaurant which really exists in Hamburg, who is also a close Fatih Akin's friend.