Diaspora on a Journey. Intergenerational Gap, the Myth of a Glorious Return and Other Mythologising Techniques in Ismaël Ferroukhi’s „The Great Journey” and „The Edge of Heaven” by Fatih Akın Cover Image

Diaspora w podróży. Międzypokoleniowa luka, mit wspaniałego powrotu i inne zabiegi mitologizujące w „Wielkiej podróży” Ismaëla Ferroukhiego i „Na krawędzi nieba” Fatiha Akına
Diaspora on a Journey. Intergenerational Gap, the Myth of a Glorious Return and Other Mythologising Techniques in Ismaël Ferroukhi’s „The Great Journey” and „The Edge of Heaven” by Fatih Akın

Author(s): Adam Domalewski
Subject(s): Fine Arts / Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Film / Cinema / Cinematography
Published by: Instytut Sztuki Polskiej Akademii Nauk
Keywords: Fatih Akın; Ismaël Ferroukhi; diasporic cinema; road movies; islam

Summary/Abstract: The article deals with two films, which are examples of contemporary diasporic cinema, whose characters come from countries with a Muslim religious tradition: from Turkey and Morocco. "The Great Journey" (2004) by Ismaël Ferroukhi and "The Edge of Heaven" (2007) by Fatih Akın are films about the intergenerational distance in diaspora families, and the formula of the road cinema used in them illustrates the attempt of the heroes to get closer to themselves thanks to a joint ("The Great Journey") or separate ("The Edge of Heaven") overcoming large spaces. In both of these films there is a characteristic theme of diasporic cinema, which is the myth of a glorious return. Both films also take the form of film parables whose significance is rooted in Islamic spirituality and beliefs. Whilst the two films are not religious in the strict sense, they strongly mythologise space: in a positive manner in the case of "The Great Journey" and negative in "The Edge of Heaven".

  • Issue Year: 2019
  • Issue No: 107
  • Page Range: 73-87
  • Page Count: 15
  • Language: Polish