ATATURK Society UK (ASUK) has published a statement condemning the producers of the film Smyrna.
Saying “There is a sentence describing the movie SMYRNA (İZMİR), which will be screened in cinemas nationwide on December 4 in the UK and on December 8 in the USA, in just one day. Part of the sentence reads: “A poignant drama about an old American Greek woman in her family diary describing the 1922 Turkish occupation of the cosmopolitan city of Smyrna, where Greeks, Turks, Jews, Armenians and Levantines once lived in harmony.”
“It should actually read like this: “A poignant drama about an old Turkish woman in her family diary describing the occupation of the cosmopolitan city of Smyrna by the Greek Army in 1919 and the persecution of the Turkish civilian population in villages and towns. Turks, Jews, Armenians and Levantines once lived together in harmony.”
Going on to say that “the advertisement of the movie is historically incorrect or fictitious” giving detail regarding the history of the region, ASUK added: Although the Greek and Turkish peoples went to war due to political problems and went through very difficult times, their common cultural and artistic values have brought them closer together for centuries. We Kemalists of the world, with the awareness of the enlightenment that Atatürk brought to the Turkish people and the philosophy of peace he wished for all humanity, and with respect for Venizelos’ great step for friendship, the producers of the film Smyrna and everyone who supports such productions by distorting historical facts for the sake of their political ambitions. condemns every organization; We invite you to be a peacemaker, not a warrior.”