Journey to the Moon

Artist and filmmaker Ataman has assembled a striking collage of found black-and-white photos to tell the urban legend of a group of villagers from eastern Turkey who, inspired by the Russian sputnik launch in 1957, attempted an expedition to the moon in an upturned minaret carried by giant helium balloons. This playful mockumentary is intercut with earnest talking heads from well-known Turkish academics analysing the significance and credibility of the tale. And while the facts of this fable may not stand up to close scrutiny, what rings true is the insight it provides into the optimism and enterprise of a nation taking its first steps towards modernisation and awareness of a world beyond the village walls.