Portrait of a Scandalous Family

2024

Based on the true story of the Şakir Paşa family, an Ottoman dynasty shattered by scandal only to give rise to some of the 20th century’s greatest artists. In 1911, Şakir Paşa was a retired Ottoman commander and history writer living on Büyükada, when his eldest son Cevat returned from Oxford with an Italian wife. They all lived together in the family villa, where the bohemian Cevat was increasingly at odds with his military father, who disapproved of Cevat’s wife and lifestyle. But Cevat’s wife became infatuated with the older man, and he was unable to resist. So began a chain of events that tore the Şakir Paşa family apart – which is just the beginning of their remarkable story.