A Touch of Spice

A Touch of Spice Greek Politiki Kouzina, Turkish Bir Tutam Baharat is a 2003 Greek film directed by Tassos Boulmetis and starring Georges Corraface as the character of the adult Fanis Iakovides. The character of Fanis Iakovides as a child is played by Markos Osse and the supporting role of Faniss grandfather, Vassilis, is played by Tassos Bandis.

Fanis Iakovides, professor of astronomy and astrophysics, recalls his childhood memories from growing up in Istanbul. When Fanis wasyears 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 stores upper floor with a young Turkish girl, Saime.However, beginning with the Istanbul Pogrom in 1955, through 1978, the ethnic Greek community of Istanbul was reduced from 135,000 to 7,000 by a series of government orchestrated riots, pogroms and deportations. Most of Fanis family is deported in 1964 with the Ankara government decision to renege on the 1930 GrecoTurkish Ankara Convention, affirming the right of Greek etablis Greeks who were born and lived in Istanbul but held Greek citizenship to live and work in Turkey, and most Greek citizens who lived in Istanbul were deported to Greece, despite most never having previously resided there. Since Vassilis was not a dual citizen, he was able to stay behind while his grandson Fanis and his parents were deported to Athens. ........

Source: Wikipedia