Vivarelli International Correspondentturkish: Last News

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentTurkish screenwriter and director Emin Alper, whose dystopian drama (“Frenzy”) in 2015 made a splash in Venice and who more recently helmed hit TV series “Aleph” about two detectives on the trail of a dervish-turned-serial killer in Istanbul, is in Cannes for the first time with incendiary drama “Burning Days” screening in Un Certain Regard.It’s about a young and earnest prosecutor named Emre who gets pulled into corrupt populist politics while investigating a murder and forms a bond with the owner of the local newspaper.Alper spoke to Variety about how “Burning Days” reflects the rise of authoritarian populism and mounting homophobia, and not just in his country. ExcerptsOver the past years I’ve been surprised to see that similar things are happening around the world. We experienced Trump, for example.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentTurkish actor Can Yaman (“Daydream,” “Bitter Sweet”) is set to a play fictional late 19th-century pirate in a reboot of cult vintage Italian TV series “Sandokan.”The show is being produced by Lux Vide, the prominent Italian shingle behind “Medici,” “Devils” and the upcoming “Leonardo” skeins.Based on a series of popular adventure novels penned by Italian author Emilio Salgari, “Sandokan” chronicles the adventures of the titular pirate who, with his motley crew, fights against the colonial power of the Dutch and British empires in Southeast Asia.The original “Sandokan,” directed in 1976 by Sergio Sollima, catapulted Indian actor Kebir Bedi to Bollywood stardom, having sold to more than 85 countries