Othello in the Seraglio

A powerful encounter of Europe and Ottoman Turkey

Shakespeare's Othello is reimagined as Sümbül, the former Chief Black Eunuch who falls in love with an Italian slave girl in 17th century Istanbul. The story is told to a coffeehouse audience by a troupe of musicians headed by a traditional storyteller, Meddah Hayali. The emotional burden of the film is carried by the unique musical setting.