The Hittites

How Tolga Örnek makes history come alive for global audiences

The Hittites ruled for some 450 years. They defeated a mighty Egyptian army led by King Ramses II, and then used their diplomatic skills to negotiate a treaty so they could live in peace. It was a rich culture which we can learn from today.

	Writer/Director Tolga Örnek in Egypt. ©2002-2003 EKIP FILM, LTD.

The idea of producing a documentary about the Hittite civilization occurred to Tolga Örnek when he was shooting scenes for another film at an ancient monument in Eastern Turkey. He visited archeological sites, read articles and books, and was surprised to discover that no one else had produced a comprehensive documentary about the Hittites.

“I thought we could shed light on the ancient history of the region,” he says. “The Hittites ruled the area for some 450 years. They defeated a mighty Egyptian army led by King Ramses II, and then used their diplomatic skills to negotiate a treaty so they could live in peace. As I learned more, I realized the Hittites were very much like us, dealing with the same problems. It was a rich culture which we can learn from today.”

That was the beginning of a long journey resulting in the production of The Hittites. The two-hour docudrama was co-produced by EKiP Film based in Istanbul, and Digital Ranch, which is in Los Angles. It draws the audience deep into an authentic recreation of an ancient world that self-destructed some 3,500 years ago. It was the first co-production between Turkish and American companies on a major film. Örnek believes it was also the first Super 35mm film (1.85:1) produced in Turkey.