Pera Beauty (2010)

Pera Guzeli (Eng: Pera Beauty) is a documentary inspired by the story of two women; Laterna and Nilufer Saltik. Laterna is a coy lady bearing beautiful lady pictures on her 'balcony', and Nilufer who bonded with Laterna seamlessly after hearing her voice had devoted herself to take Laterna back to her homeland that once she had to leave forcibly. This film documents the resurrection and reintroduction of the Laterna, a mechanical barrel piano that was once a common sight in Istanbul. Even though the Laterna was born in Europe, it had its golden age in Istanbul between 1850 and 1950, becoming an indispensable element at the celebrations of the Greek's city. With the advent of the gramophone and radio, the popularity of this fascinating instrument waned, and as the last craftsmen died, it seemed destined to disappear forever. After half a century, Nilufer Saltik reaches the Greek piano maker Panos Ioannidis and convinces him to build the first new laterna. The name of this new Laterna is "Pera Beauty". Through a series of street performances and recordings, the Laterna has now been given a new lease on life.