Straddling two continents, Istanbul is where East meets West. Asian and European influences are woven into the city’s cultural fabric. Its former role as capital of the Ottoman Empire, when it was still known as Constantinople, has left a legacy of historical treasures that delights travellers some thousand years later. From the revered Haga Sofia and the Blue Mosque to the bustling Bosphorus, from the energetic bazaars to crowded nightclubs, the Turkish capital is nothing if not enigmatic.
Stanislas Giroux is a French filmmaker based in Nancy. He made the video to introduce the concept of “speed-travelling” and to give his audience a glimpse into another culture in just one minute. Sixty seconds in Istanbul with Stanislav has inspired us not just to visit Istanbul, but also to look to look for the character hidden in the details of daily life in our own cities.
See Stanislas’ latest work on his website, Vimeo or Twitter.
Below are some of our favourite screenshots from the film:
