‘Midnight at the Pera Palace‘ has carved out a niche for itself among international consumers, despite the fact that Netflix has a plethora of Turkish programmes.
The drama series, directed by Nisan Dag and Emre Sahin, follows Esra, a young journalist tasked with writing about the legendary namesake hotel. Her once-in-a-lifetime trip turns into much more as she is transferred to 1919 and becomes embroiled in a political plot.
While there is a science fiction element to the series (because to time travel), the storyline looks to be true.
So, if you’re wondering whether the show is based on true events, we’ve got all the answers.
Is Midnight at the Pera Palace Based on a True Story?
Parts of ‘Midnight at the Pera Palace’ are based on true story. In truth, the performance is based on Charles King’s book, “Midnight at the Pera Palace: The Birth of Modern Istanbul.” The cinematic version, on the other hand, does not exactly follow the novel.
Author Stephen King revealed in a December 2014 interview that the “midnight” in the title of his book refers to the New Year’s Eve of 1925. That’s when the Turkish Republic switched from using the Islamic calendar to using the Gregorian calendar.
However, the most of the events in the show take place in 1919, a pivotal year in Turkish history. It signalled the start of the Turkish War of Independence, a series of military engagements that lasted from 1919 until 1923. Following World War I, the Turkish National Movement pushed for these.
The series’ plot is mostly a work of fiction, yet it is based on true events. Pera Palace, for example, is a hotel in Beyolu, a neighbourhood on Istanbul’s European side.
It was built in 1892 to accommodate passengers on the Orient Express. Interestingly, the big establishment was also a symbol of modernity in the early 1900s, as it was one of the city’s first to offer amenities like elevators, radiator heat, and electrically driven lights.
Pera Palace is located near significant Istanbul landmarks such as Taksim Square and Istiklal Avenue. Furthermore, consulates for a variety of nations are located nearby, including the United Kingdom, Russia, France, Germany, Sweden, and Italy, to name a few.
As a result, it’s easy to see how Pera Palace became the epicentre of commercial, political, and spy activity.
"Midnight at the Pera Palace” stars Hazal Kaya as Esra and Selahattin Paşalı as Halit, the handsome and mysterious owner of Istanbul’s wildest club, pic.twitter.com/5ry4FME2R5
— Dizilah (@dizilah) February 7, 2022
Despite being a neutral country, Istanbul was once again at the centre of the storm during World War II, when it facilitated transit to Jews fleeing Europe during the Holocaust.
As a result, the social upheaval witnessed in Pera Palace and Istanbul is not so far from reality.
Apart from the aforementioned criteria, it is safe to assume that Netflix’s “Midnight at the Pera Palace” is not based on any specific individual or group of people.