ISTANBUL, April 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Perfect
Sweat" series, in cooperation with Bray's Run Productions and Motion Films
Istanbul, begins filming today at the historic Sultan hammam of the
Ciragan Palace Kempinski. The episode is produced and directed by
Tuba Guvelioglu, whose credits include Netflix's "Chef's
Table," "Expedition Unknown," and "The Martha Stewart Show."
In this episode, photojournalist Mikkel
Aaland, author of the 1978 classic, "Sweat," returns after
44 years to Turkey, home of the
Turkish bath, or hammam. His guide /co-host for this
episode is Elizabet Kurumlu, a local hammam devotee.
"I arrived in Istanbul in
1975," says Aaland. "I was young, and broke, and I stayed at a
youth hostel near the Blue Mosque for a dollar a night. I was here
to study the hammam, the Turkish form of the sauna used for
centuries all over the Middle East. I am excited to see what
has changed since then."
With roots that go back to the ancient Roman and Greek times,
the hammam is known throughout the Middle
East as a place to clean body, mind and spirit. Its name
means "spreader of warmth" and it is in the center of many
important social rituals and customs. In this episode we will
participate in a traditional pre-wedding henna ceremony newly
popularized by Turkish millennials held in the magnificent
16th century Ayasofya Hurrem Sultan Hammam, located
midway between the Blue Mosque and Hagia
Sophia. We will witness an increasingly popular "Pledge"
hammam ritual in the newly renovated Cukurcuma Hammam in the hip
Cukurcuma neighborhood. We will help send an enlisted
soldier off to the army with a party in the Cemberlitas Hammam, one
of the oldest functioning hammams in Istanbul, designed by the great Renaissance
architect Sinan.
We will see the contemporary Turkish artist Tarik Cengiz (known as the Picture Tailor) at
work crafting typical hammam implements such as clogs and dipping
bowls. We will visit the historic city of Bursa, famous for its
hammam textiles and clothing and in the Kervansaray Thermal Hammam
we will learn how to wash with intent from Nail Dede, a Sufi Master. And finally, we
will meet Belgin Aksoy, the
inspirational creator of Global Wellness Day and hear from her how
Turkey and the world is moving
wellness programs from luxury spas to everyday life.
About the series: The Perfect Sweat
Throughout recorded human history, the sweat bath has comforted,
healed, and strengthened the social bonds between rich and poor,
young and old, strong and the weak. In Finland and much of the modern world, the
sweat bath is known as the sauna. But the sauna is only part of the
picture. In the Middle East the
sweat bath is known as the hammam, in Mexico the temescal, in Russia the banya, among Native Americans, it
is known as the sweat lodge, and in Japan the kara-furo and mushi-buro. Each
bathing culture has its passionate devotees, unique history,
rituals, and architecture.
Now, in this documentary series, sweat bathing guru Aaland teams
up with local guides and retraces his steps in search of the
perfect sweat. What he finds is an explosive rebirth of the ancient
bathing traditions, traditions which include community rituals that
are meant to revive the human spirit and change the world. So sit
back and relax, and travel with us on this amazing and unique
adventure!
www.perfectsweatseries.com
Bray's Run
Productions
Bray's Run Productions is a
Seattle-based independent film
production company founded by Greg
Moga that specializes in exploring culture, history and
travel through the prism of charismatic people across the globe. We
open doors into aspects of culture that traditional media has
overlooked.
Mikkel Aaland, producer /
host
Mikkel Aaland is an award-winning
photojournalist and the best-selling author of fifteen books.
Aaland's best-known book is the 1978 classic best seller 'Sweat,
the illustrated history and description of the Finnish sauna,
Russian Banya, Islamic Hamman, Japanese mushi-buro, Mexican
Temescal and American Indian & Eskimo sweat lodge.'
Elizabet Kurumlu, co-host/guide Turkey
Elizabet Kurumlu (Liz) has worked in productions for TV channels
such as National Geographic, Discovery, PBS, BBC, CNN, Channel 4,
ZDF, ORF, and hosted such well-known people as Kofi Annan, Michael
Portillo, and Boris
Johnson. She has guided and accompanied Michelin
starred chefs, and international journalists from such prominent
publications as Food Travel, The Times, and Vogue
Gourmet.
Liz became a hammam devotee when she first discovered that the
traditional Turkish baths are about surrender, always good for the
soul, the mind and the body. From a 2,000-year-old hammam to
private home hammams, from luxury hotel spa hammams to
hole-in-the-wall local hammams, she has experienced more than 100
during her travels throughout Turkey and beyond, continuing her search for
the perfect 3H – historic, hygienic, halcyon – hammams where she
can surrender.
Photo -
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