An award-winning film director will discuss his latest documentary at a free University of Queensland public lecture next week.
Tolga Örnek will present “The Hittites”: making the film from 8pm on Wednesday, December 3 in the Abel Smith Lecture Theatre, UQ St Lucia.
The Hittites is a new feature-length film tracing the ancient Hittite empire, which arose in Turkey around 1700BC and lasted about 500 years before collapsing.
Mr Örnek spent two years directing the film, which was narrated by British actor Jeremy Irons and shot in 31 locations in Asia, Europe and Africa.
A number of international scholars participated in the film including Professor Trevor Bryce from UQ’s School of History, Philosophy, Religion and Classics, who was a consultant and on-camera interviewee.
Mr Örnek will preview excerpts from the film and discuss various features, including 23,000 historically accurate handmade props and sets.
They include a miniature scale model of the Hittite capital used with digital models of people to replicate a living city with temples, palaces and battle chariots.
In Australia to promote the film, Mr Örnek has received considerable international acclaim for his work, including the Golden Camera award at the prestigious 2001 International Film and Video Festival in the United States.
The lecture, to be followed by refreshments, will be presented by UQ’s School of History Philosophy, Religion and Classics as well as The Friends of Antiquity.
It will be chaired by UQ Head of Classics and Ancient History Associate Professor John Whitehorne.
Media: For further information, contact Professor Bryce (telephone 07 3365 2039) or Joanne van Zeeland at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2619).
