World stars to gather for Turkish series on refugees

GAZİANTEP – Anadolu Agency

Trailers for a Turkish TV series on a Syrian refugee family that will feature global superstars such as actress Angelina Jolie and football player Cristiano Ronaldo have been completed in the southeastern province of Gaziantep, the show’s director has said. 

“World-renowned names will come to Gaziantep to contribute to this project,” said the director of “Hayat Köprüsü” (Bridge of Life), Eyüp Dirlik. “We have had talks with some international charity organizations. They promised us to support our project. They will come to Gaziantep and help us. Ronaldo and Jolie are some of the names in the project. They have timing problems but we will do it in one way or other.”

Dirlik said they started the project with the slogan “you will either stay there and die or you come here and survive.” 

Shooting for the series itself will begin at the end of March, he said.

Dirlik said the trial shooting of the series had been finished and that they would make the project an international one after talks with Middle Eastern countries. 

Gaziantep Mayor Fatma Şahin is also supporting the project, the director said. “Turkey and Syria are very close. They have many things in common. We focus on a refugee Syrian family in the TV series. It is a drama but not limited to it; there is love, family ties and the fight to survive. We will try to make a contribution to refugee families with the project.” 

One of the leading actresses in the series, Perihan Savaş, said everyone would see something in their life in the story. 

“Refugees are now one of the most important issues in our country. We opened the doors for them and we want to show it to the whole world Because everyone is curious about their life. This project is a lesson for humanity,” Savaş said.