Özpetek promotes his latest film in Italy

ROME

Rome-based Turkish director Ferzan Özpetek’s latest film “La Dea Fortuna” (The Fortune Goddess) was promoted at a press screening.

A special screening was held at the Quattro Fontane cinemas in the Italian capital Rome for the 13th feature film in Özpetek’s career, which is a romantic drama.

Following the screening, director Özpetek replied to questions along with the film’s stars, Stefano Accorsi, Jasmine Trinca, Edoardo Leo along with Serra Yılmaz, Sara Ciocca, Edoardo Brandi, Barbara Alberti, Filippo Nigro and Cristina Bugatty.

Özpetek said the film is based on long-term relationships that change over time.

Speaking to the Anadolu Agency, Özpetek said that the story of the film was developed around an event that he had gone through.

“The story was inspired by my own life. My brother was sick at that time. We lost him a year ago. His wife called me and said, ‘If anything happens to me, will you take care of our children?’ she asked. She said, ‘They come to live there with you’ and the story came out of this. They were 12 at the time, and I started thinking how to raise them.”

Öspetek said that veteran Turkish singer Sezen Aksu played a song in the film, too, adding,” I asked her for a song, and she sent me this song. The song was in other movies, but it was not played by Aksu. She sang it for me in this film. That’s why I am so happy. It is one of the important songs in the film and also the first promotional music of the film.”

One of stars in the film, Trinca said that Italian artists wish to work with Özpetek, adding, “When he calls an actor, he cannot be rejected. He succeeds to find something new in an actor. I love his other films, too.”

“La Dea Fortuna,” which was shot in Rome and Palermo, features the crisis of a couple, who takes care of their friend’s children for a few days.

The film will be released in Italy today (Dec. 19) and it will be soon shown in Turkey, too.