A Touch of Spice (or Politiki kouzina) is a Greek movie released in 2003 directed by Tassos Boulmetis and starring Georges Corraface as the character of the adult Fanis Iakovides.
The original Greek title is (Politiki Kouzina) means "Cuisine of the City" and refers to the Cuisine of Istanbul. However, in the film's promotional material, the word Politiki of the title is depicted in capital letters, therefore allowing an alternative reading of the title, as (Politiki Kouzina) which means "Political Cuisine" signifying the important role that politics played in the lives of the main characters.
Fanis Iakovides, professor of astronomy and astrophysics, recalls his childhood memories from growing up in Istanbul. When Fanis was 7 years old, his grandfather Vassilis was an owner of a general store with a specialty in spices. He was also a culinary philosopher and his mentor. Fanis grew very attached to his grandfather who would assist with his homework using imaginative techniques. For instance, Vassilis would teach his grandson the planets of the Solar System by showing an illustration of it and replacing the planets with spices. Cinnamon took the place of Venus since according to Vassilis, "like all women, cinnamon is both bitter and sweet". Fanis also fell in love for the first time in his grandfather store's upper floor with a young Turkish girl, Saime.
The main characters easily fit into a parallel metaphor - Saime, the old love of Fanis, a beautiful Turkish girl and multi-lingual tour guide, represents Istanbul (a cosmopolitan city called a "she" in Greek), Fanis is modern Greece, one that is still deeply in love with Istanbul and nostalgic fo the past, and Saime's husband, a Turkish military doctor who represents a modern, pragmatic Turkey.
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