Istanbul embraces Bosnian heritage with Bosnia Sandzak Culture Days
The Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra is set to perform at Cemal Reşit Rey as part of Bosnia Sandzak Culture Days, Istanbul, Türkiye. (Photo courtesy of CRR)


The 5h Bosnia Sandzak Culture Days, a collaborative effort between the Bosnia Sandzak Academic Culture and History Foundation and the Türkiye Bosnia Sandzak Association, is kicking off in Istanbul. Under the artistic direction of Azra Tüzünoğlu, it will be showcasing a diverse array of cultural experiences at the city's most iconic venues.

Pera Museum

As part of the "Traces of Time" program in collaboration with Pera Film, Istanbul audiences are treated to a selection of five films by renowned Bosnian director Pjer Zalica on Nov. 4-19. On Nov. 10, clinical psychologist-psychotherapist Meral Erten will lead a thought-provoking film analysis session after the screening of "Savrseni Krug" ("The Perfect Circle"), offering attendees a deeper understanding of cinematic artistry.

Pjer Zalica, director of "Days and Hours," poses for a portrait during the Tribeca Film Festival at the Tribeca Grand Hotel, New York City, New York, U.S., April 22, 2005. (Getty Images Photo)

Cemal Reşit Rey

The cultural celebration continues on Nov. 11 at the Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall with the "Meeting of the Centuries" concert by the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra. Established in 1923 during the Austro-Hungarian occupation, the orchestra, led by the esteemed Romanian conductor Mihnea Ignat, will present compositions by Dino Residbegovic, Avdo Smailovic, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Cemal Reşit Rey, creating a harmonious blend of historical and contemporary musical masterpieces.

Metrohan

Additionally, Metrohan hosts a captivating exhibition titled "Sjecas li se Sarajeva – Do You Remember Sarajevo?", curated in collaboration with Clarissa Thieme, the Hamdija Kresevljakovic Archive and Nihad Kresevljakovic. This exhibition offers a poignant glimpse into besieged Sarajevo through a civilian lens, utilizing a selection of amateur video archive footage spanning 4,000 hours. Visitors are invited to engage with the raw materials from the Hamdija Kresevljakovic Video Archive and explore probing questions posed by Clarissa Thieme and Nihad Kresevljakovic.

The exhibition will run at Metrohan until Dec. 31, providing Istanbul residents and visitors with an opportunity to witness the historical and cultural significance of Sarajevo during the trying times of the early 1990s.