Canale 5’s summer programming is enhanced by a new series: a Turkish series halfway between a rom-com and a family drama, destined to become a ratings hit thanks to the cast featuring Furkan Palalı (the Fikret Fekeli of Terra Amara, who is also competing on Ballando con le Stelle). Let’s explore together the locations of My Sweet Lie (original title Benim Tatlı Yalanım), airing every Monday to Friday at 2:45 PM.
What it’s about
Nejat Yılmaz, the character played by Furkan Palalı, is a single father who, to spare his daughter Kayra (Lavinya Ünlüer) the pain of her mother’s rejection, invents the “sweet lie” — from which the title derives — that the woman is involved in a delicate humanitarian mission in Africa. To make the story he created for his daughter more credible, he regularly sends her letters, postcards, and gifts.
In this way, the little girl is convinced that her mother will return home for her sesto compleanno— her sixth birthday. Desperate, Nejat asks Suna Doğan (Aslı Bekiroğlu), the young woman who is meanwhile trying to save the family café, to go along with the ruse: the result is that Kayra becomes convinced that she is the mother. This leads to misunderstandings, miscommunications, and – inevitably – the spark of unexpected feelings between the two.
Where the series was filmed
The new Turkish series on Canale 5 was filmed entirely in Istanbul, across neighborhoods that are popular with tourists, historic districts that have recently been rediscovered, and modern residential areas where locals go about their daily lives. The stunning Bosporus views, paired with picturesque glimpses of the historic city with its alleys, markets, and traditional shops, and the contemporary panorama of the neighborhoods where most of the city’s commercial and economic life presently unfolds, effectively reflect the intriguing family dynamics and affections of Nejat.
The Balat district
Among the locations for My Sweet Lie that are easiest to recognize on screen is Balat, the ancient Jewish quarter located in the Fatih district: this is where the café under Suna’s care is situated. The choice is not accidental: in this area survive traditional shops where one can pause to savor the city’s scents and flavors. The advice is to wander aimlessly through the lanes, allowing yourself to be drawn by the vibrant colors of the buildings, and, if possible, to strike up conversations with locals, who are always willing to share incredible stories about the city’s past.
The Sarıyer and Beşiktaş districts
Other areas where the series My Sweet Lie was shot include the Sarıyer and Beşiktaş districts, both in the European part of Istanbul and facing the Bosphorus.
Sarıyer was once a fishing village, later rediscovered starting in the Ottoman era as a resort spot, so the traditional seaside villas, the yalı, remain among the main sights of the area. Another example of typical architecture is represented by the historic aqueducts of the Belgrade Forest. Not to be missed in this zone, which is famed for its national parks as well as some of Turkey’s most beautiful beaches, is certainly Rumelihisarı: a medieval fortress built on the Bosphorus during the conquest of Constantinople.
Beşiktaş could be considered one of the stops on an unconventional Istanbul itinerary, especially if you’re curious about how European cultural influence over the years has reshaped the city: the Dolmabahçe Palace, built in the mid-19th century by Sultan Abdul Mejid I as the Ottoman Empire’s administrative center, stands as the clearest emblem of that transformation.
