'The Club': Is the Netflix series based on a true story?

Still from Netflix's The Club - Selim Songür and the dancers (Image via Netflix)
Still from Netflix's The Club - Selim Songür and the dancers (Image via Netflix)

Turkish period drama The Club has grabbed everyone's attention with its accurate depiction of Istanbul in the 1950s.

Directed by Zeynep Gunay Tan and Seren Yuce, the series, titled Kulüp in its native language, depicts Matilda's emotional and societal conflicts in a politically turbulent Istanbul. Her struggles and moving experiences leave viewers with immense curiosity to understand the genesis of the characters in the series.

The Club's plot is based on true events that occurred in the 1950s, and it's time to learn a bit more about it.


Is 'The Club' a true story?

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The Inspiration

The story of Matilda and her life in Istanbul amid the unrest in the 1950s is based on real lives and incidents. Her character, inspired by a real-life seamstress, played a significant part in the cultural activities and nightclubs that ruled the social life of Istanbul during the era.

Back then, Istanbul was heavily influenced by the West. Though the country’s nightclubs and social establishments flourished, the glamor remained limited to its external appearance. Labor exploitation was very common for seamstresses and other artists working in the clubs.

Matilda and her chosen extended family were a reality in the distant past of Istanbul. Her struggles as a single Jewish mother and her strong front also pay homage to all the resilient women who fought to survive amid the cruelties of the city’s wealthy.


The Result

Set in 1955, The Club depicts Istanbul of that time in great detail, from tempestuous events to certain incidents. The religious and racial riots and attacks on minorities, fueled by conflicting moralities and sometimes fake news, dictated the atmosphere of Turkey's cultural capital.

The depiction of the Istanbul pogrom or Istanbul riots that took place in 1955 is very accurate, from the aftermath and harassment towards Greeks to the actual photos seen in the series finale.

The series also accurately portrayed the Turkish Jewish community, receiving several praises for the same. It is also accurate in its depiction of Jewish rituals, the Ladino language and political topics such as the Varlik Vergisi.

Artists like Selim Songür witness and try to resist the calamities of the culture. His characterization is highly commendable, as he was an integral part of Club Istanbul. He accurately portrays the artists of the past who were present in the very center of Istanbul's cultural disputes.

Matilda's manager, Orhan Şahin, and boss Çelebi, represent the egoistical upper class of the '50s. They had no human compassion and regard for their workers and subordinates, thus driving home the importance of the class struggle.

The Club Part 2 is now streaming on Netflix with previous episodes also available to watch.

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Edited by Saman