The 1st of November 2022 marked exactly one hundred years since the Ottoman Empire officially ended. In existence for over 600 years, and widely regarded as one of the greatest ever empires, the Ottomans left an indelible mark on our lives. Now a new book by Diane Darke, The Ottomans: A Cultural Legacy, re-examines the impact […]
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. […]
The Yunus Emre Institute in London is staging a special performance of Karagöz & Hacivat shadow play as part of the annual celebration of National Sovereignty and Children’s Day in Turkey on 23 April. This famous play, which is aimed at kids aged 4 and older, but suitable for all the family, will be performed […]
Renowned Turkish musician Coşkun Karademir will weave a rich and mystical Anatolian soundscape for those attending Monday night’s central London concert. “Türküleri anladım hangi dilde söylenirse söylensin” (I understand Turkish Folk Music in any language it is sung) Nazim Hikmet Ran, Türküler Performing Turkish folk music on his kopuz (a Turkic fretless stringed instrument), Karademir […]
Six great Hollywood-inspired Turkish movies to watch at the Cinema Museum in Kennington, South London, as part of the Remakesploitation Fest 2022 this weekend! The Turkish film industry of the 1970s-80s was notorious for reworking Hollywood. From Star Wars through to Some Like it Hot, filmmakers in Turkiye would produce their own unofficial remakes of […]
The Yunus Emre Institute in London’s annual Turkish Community Art Exhibition is now truly embedded in the British Turkish community’s social calendar. Now in its third year, the event is bigger than ever before, showcasing 88 art pieces from 51 artists, whittled down from “a great selection of over 140 artworks from over 70 artists.” […]
If you’re looking for films beyond the obvious choices, this week-long movie fest packed with gems produced by upcoming directors and screened at some of the world’s best film festivals is guaranteed quality viewing. ‘Cut Short, Live Long’ (CSLL) is a new annual short film festival that will be making its digital debut simultaneously in London, […]
If you are an artist of Turkish heritage that is based in Britain, the organisers of the annual Turkish Community Art Exhibition would like to hear from you! Now in its third year, and jointly organised by the Yunus Emre Enstitüsü – London and the Turkish Consulate in London, the exhibition “aims to bring together […]
During the 1970s and 80s, Turkish cinema regularly churned out low-budget versions of Hollywood box office smashes and American television hit series. Star Wars, Star Trek, The Exorcist, E.T., and Superman were among those to get an often unauthorised Turkish makeover. These B-movies, often referred to as “Turksploitation”, are not only endearing to Turks, but […]
In March, the world as we know it came to a crashing halt. The coronavirus pandemic was taking hold in all four quarters of the planet, prompting governments to take drastic actions to contain the deadly disease. Borders, air space and businesses were closed, and people were ordered to stay indoors as our hospitals became […]
