When my editor asked me to pick my favourite ten songs by legendary band MFÖ in advance of their London concert on 18 March, I didn’t think it would be this hard. The band formed in 1980 – more than a decade before I was born – and they still comprise of the original […]
MFÖ have been around since the 1980s, recording some of Turkey’s biggest and most original music, including Ali Desidero and Sarı Laleler, their songs covered by countless Turkish artists. They tour regularly, but they have never quite reached our shores – until now. Finally their British fans will have the chance to see them […]
If you have an interest in the history and heritage of Turkic peoples, then this new book is for you! Edited by Razia Sultanova and Megan Rancier, Turkic Soundscapes From Shamanic Voices to Hip-Hop is the culmination of a long-running project exploring the story of Turkic peoples around the world through music and the […]
Ever since I moved to London from Istanbul three years ago, I am always keen to check out Turkish origin musicians in London. I met Gazel about a year ago during one of her gigs at 93 Feet East. I didn’t know at the time that she had Turkish roots, but when I heard the […]
An historic East London venue will be screening the UK film premiere of not one but two Turkish films at the end of this month. In a superb double bill, Oxford House and The Hamlets Pop-Up Cinema will present award-winning short film Mutluluk / Happiness, followed by acclaimed mockumentary Benim Varoş Hikayem / My Suburban […]
The British Turkish Cypriot community marked 100 years of migration to the United Kingdom with a cultural event at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) last Saturday. The event was organised by the Council of Turkish Cypriot Associations (CTCA) UK and featured a photo exhibit, a film screening, folk dancing by the Dr. Fazıl […]
In keeping with its innovative nature, this year’s London Turkish Film Festival (LTFF) is going entirely online, allowing people living across the length and breadth of Britain and abroad to enjoy its eclectic, high-quality selection of screenings. Starting this Thursday, 23 November, and running until 6 December 2017, the 21st London Turkish Film Festival will […]
The week-long International Izmir Short Film Festival closed this weekend with a spectacular awards ceremony held at the historic Havagazı Fabrikası. Local and international guests packed into this 150-year-old French-built former gas factory, which has been restored as a stunning cultural centre, to hear the winners announced on Saturday, 11 November, with Iranian film Animal […]
In recent years, there’s been a more determined effort to better represent the rich diversity across Great Britain. From casting to storytelling, the worlds of film, fashion, television and theatre are all eager to tap into the heritage and talent that exists in Britain’s black and ethnic minority communities. That said it’s still a […]
Two weeks ago, an angry mob attacked an art exhibition at Istanbul’s Abdülmecid Efendi Pavilion. The building used to belong to the last Ottoman Caliph Abdülmecid. The exhibition, called Doors Open to Those Who Knock, showcased artwork owned by Turkish businessperson Ömer Koç. It opened to public at the Pavilion during the 15th Istanbul Biennial, […]
