Centenary cinema hall in France run by Turk closed

Ece Çelik - ISTANBUL

A cinema hall opened in France’s western city of Strasbourg in 1913 and run by a Turk for the last three decades has been closed due to a change in the management tender.

Odyssee Cinema Hall, one of France’s oldest halls, was hosting Turkish cinema festivals for the last 25 years.

The hall, called “Turks’ art point in Strasbourg,” was managed by Faruk Günaltay, the grandson of Şemsettin Günaltay, the eighth prime minister of the modern Turkish Republic, since 1992.

Turkish movies were regularly shown in the hall, and for the “Turkish Cinema Days,” an annual Turkish movie festival, held for over two decades, many Turkish actors, actresses, directors and producers were invited to Strasbourg.

Even the logo of the cinema hall was inspired by the eyes of Hülya Koçyiğit, a well-known Turkish actress who is 74 years old today.

Faruk Günaltay hit the headlines in France in 2010 after a racist attack. Two cars in front of his house were burnt down and a swastika was painted at his house’s door.

After this attack, Günaltay and Roland Ries, then Strasbourg mayor, held an anti-racism campaign and gained fame across the country.