Islam goes Hollywood. An exploratory study on Islam in Turkish cinema

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;" lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Abstract</span></span></span></strong></p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;" lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">By means of two case studies, this article demonstrates how differently Islam is depicted in a Turkish film composed by a secular, intellectual director and in a film considered to promote an Islamic way of life. </span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;" lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Yılmaz Güney’s art house film <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Umut/Hope</em> (1970) depicts Islam as an integral part of Turkish reality. In the story of a poor carriage driver in South East Anatolia, who turns to treasure hunting guided by an <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">imam</em>, folk Islam is compared to a (secular) national lottery ticket: neither are the solution to existential problems. İsmail Güneş’ film <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The İmam</em> (2005) can be regarded as an example of the return of Islamic values into Turkish society, showing compatibility with modernity. However, whereas <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Umut</em> is showing (folk) Islam as an existing reality in Turkish society of the 1970s, <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The İmam</em> is teaching a moral lesson to Turkish society of the 2000s.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">