A cursory glance at the poster of My Father’s Violin / Babamın Kemanı (2022) as you scroll through Netflix suggests a nostalgic dive into a virtuoso’s life. Whilst this new Turkish movie doesn’t take the ‘Whiplash’ route into an upcoming musician’s world, as Engin Altan Düzyatan portrays an already esteemed violinist, this film not only […]
‘In Good Hands’ (Sen Yaşamaya Bak) is a Turkish drama/romantic comedy on Netflix. My excitement of watching this new release transpired to be misplaced, as the film is rather underwhelming. The plot is spoon-fed to us right off the bat. Melisa (Aslı Enver) learns that she is terminally ill with “give or take 4 or […]
An annual free festival in Trafalgar Square for London’s large Muslim community to celebrate the end of Ramazan/ Ramadan saw Turks participate fully for the first time this year. The weather was for the most part warm and rain-free for Eid in the Square, helping to attract over 25,000 through the course of the day. […]
If you’ve seen the Netflix series The Club, set in a 1950s music club in Istanbul’s vibrant Beyoğlu district, you will already have a good idea about the city’s historically cosmopolitan and multi-ethnic character. Later this month Baha Yetkin, a leading oud player from Turkey, and his all-star group of musicians from Turkey, Greece and […]
If you are a filmmaker with a new film that features or involves Turkiye, then the Taste of Anatolia – Films from Turkey film festival want to hear from you! Launched in 2018 by Cambridge-based film charity Balık Arts, this year will mark the fourth edition of the festival, which aims to showcase the rich […]
The Mayor of London’s annual mega Eid al-Fitr (Ramazan Bayramı) festival returns with a huge extravaganza at Trafalgar Square this Saturday, 7 May. Now in its 17th year, Eid in in the Square showcases the very best of Islamic inspired art, music, and comedy on the main stage, alongside a feast of food stalls from across […]
Metin Murat’s page-turner debut novel is an ode to all the people of Cyprus and their culture. A self-declared work of fiction set against the historic and political realities of the last 80 years between his ancestral home of Turkish Cyprus and London. The novel starts in 1930s Cyprus and Bamyakoy (based on the author’s […]
The Turkish Women’s Philanthropic Association of England (TWPA) will be hosting a special event on dementia at their Turnpike Lane centre. “Time for a Cuppa with the TWPA” will take place on Friday, 6 May, giving TWPA members and visitors the opportunity to listen to and quiz Dr Mekella Mehmet-Yesil and Dr Akan Efe about […]
If you’re into live music with global roots or simply fancy listening to something different, check out the scintillating rhythms, gorgeous vocals and uplifting songs of Olcay Bayir. Originally from Turkey, this acclaimed London based singer-songwriter dips into her Anatolian heritage, performing original songs and traditional poems inspired by Turkish, Kurdish, Armenia and Greek culture. […]
Painless sees singer-songwriter Nilüfer Yanya at her most direct and open yet. The album title comes from a grown understanding that pain isn’t always a negative thing, a freeing experiencing that simultaneously released a kind of joy while making this record. The 12-track album, Nilüfer’s second following her acclaimed 2019 debut Miss Universe, is full […]
