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Turkish director Tahsin İşbilen’s new documentary film sheds a light on an almost unknown period, telling the story of Greek communist partisans who escaped from the Nazis during World War II and took shelter in Turkey.
Turkish documentary about a group of Greeks who took refuge in Turkey after fighting against the Nazis in World War II drew a standing ovation when it was screened in Athens last week.

The subjects of "Asia Minor... Over Again" are less well known than their Jewish counterparts. Director Tahsin İşbilen said he heard stories about them and the hospitality they received while shooting "Benim Giritli Limon Ağacım" (My Cretan Lemon Tree), a documentary on the Greek-Turkish population exchange.

"As we deepened our research, we saw that almost nobody, except those over the age of 70, knew about this fact," İşbilen said. "The tense relations between the two countries have made people from both sides forget this humane attitude."

Overcoming fear

İşbilen and his team conducted research on the topic in various archives and learned that some 50,000 to 60,000 Greek communists took refuge in Turkey during the war and stayed in camps established by the Turkish Red Crescent Society. Strikingly, most of these people were among those who had migrated to Greece 22 years prior during the National Struggle, and thus had doubts and fears about the attitudes they would encounter among Turks.

"Turks wanted to help the Greeks who came to the Aegean coast near Karaburun, but since it was wartime, Turks did not have too many things. Even bread was rationed and food was limited," İşbilen said. "One of the Turks offered [the Greek refugees] a cup of dry grapes, but they did not take it because they were afraid it was poisoned. Realizing this fear, the person who offered the grapes ate a few of them. Later, with the words of Uncle Gani, they polished off the cup."

According to İşbilen, everyone featured in the documentary experienced this time personally, except for the son of Kostas Demerci, who related his father’s memories. "If we waited a few more years, we would not have been so lucky," İşbilen said.

During filming, İşbilen and his crew were assisted by the Sineparksi Association (the Movement of Existing Together and Communication in the Aegean, based in Lesvos) and the Samos Peace Movement. But that did not prepare them for what happened in Athens on March 22.

Amazement in Athens

The associations of Samos and Mytilene and the Greek Directors’ Union prepared a surprise for İşbilen and his team when they went to Athens to show their new documentary at the Ilion Movie Theater, organizing an event that İşbilen characterized as "magnificent."

"One of Greece’s most important dailies, Ta Nea, prepared a full front-page story about the show and the film," İşbilen said. "The movie theater was full, but there were not any negative questions. On the contrary, they told us their experiences." After the film and the discussion, İşbilen said the team was invited to other screenings.

"It was very striking for them that a Turkish team had made such a film," he said. "We had been told Greek viewers were too choosy, so we were amazed by their interest. The reactions were positive. We will never forget the excitement."
http://www.phantis.com/arts-humanities/