Istanbul (1964): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1964, Istanbul is a documentary film directed by Maurice Pialat, running about 13 minutes. “documentary short” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. All of Pialat's Turkish films are uniquely interested in the country — especially Istanbul — as it was, not just as it is at the precise moment that Pialat is filming it. History informs these films in a big way, with the voiceover narration (which incorporates excerpts from various authors) introducing tension between the images of the modern-day city and the descriptions of incidents from its long and rich history. Istanbul is probably the most conventional documentary of Pialat's Turkish series, providing a general profile of the titular city, its different neighborhoods, and the different cultures and ways of living that coexist within its sprawling borders. As the other films in the series also suggest, Pialat sees Turkey, and Istanbul in particular, as a junction point between Europe and the East, between the old and the new, between history and modernity.

Who’s in it. Istanbul stars Pierre Asso as Narrator.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.0/10, Istanbul has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Istanbul page.

If you liked it. Fans of Istanbul tend to enjoy One Direction: This Is Us, Burn the Stage: The Movie, BTS World Tour: Love Yourself - Japan Edition and Senna.