Balkancisco Teaser - Balkan music unites the world one beat at a time! (EN)

Balkan music unites the world one beat at a time!

Directed by Tuğrul Sarıkaya
Creative Producer: Duygu Gün
Director of Photography Özgen Göksoy
Writer: Duygu Gün, Tuğrul Sarıkaya

Balkancisco is a documentary that explores the powerful influence of Balkan music in San Francisco Bay Area. Through the personal stories of musicians from different cultural backgrounds, the film highlights how this music transcends borders and unites people from diverse backgrounds. While traditionally Eastern Europeans have disagreements, Balkan music connects them as a common heritage when they are abroad.

The documentary aims to create intercultural awareness and showcase the vibrant community of Balkan musicians in San Francisco. Rather than being a comprehensive historical documentary, it focuses on the emotional journey of the musicians as they share their experiences learning and playing Balkan music. Through their stories, the audience gains a deeper understanding of how music can bridge cultural divides and bring people together.

Story Summary

In "Balkancisco" we follow the story of a Turkish girl named Duygu, who moves to San Francisco in search of a feeling of home in her voluntary exile. While exploring the city, she stumbles upon the ever-growing Balkan music scene in the Bay Area and is immediately drawn into this vibrant community.

Fascinated by how Balkan music is appreciated in San Francisco, Duygu sets out on a quest to understand how this interest evolved over time. Along her journey, she interviews the old-school pioneers who brought Balkan Music to the Bay Area and the new generation bands like Beats Antique that have moved Balkan Music to the entertainment level.

As she delves deeper into the world of Balkan music, Duygu discovers a vibrant community of musicians and fans who have made this music their own. She takes us to sold-out Balkan jam sessions and parties where a cosmopolitan group of San Francisco residents rave to the beats of Balkan music. Through her journey, Duygu discovers a sense of belonging and a new appreciation for the power of music to transcend cultural boundaries and create a sense of home, no matter where you are in the world.

Interviewees

Interviewees include Inspector Gadje manager Marco Peris, multi-instrumentalist and film music composer Dan Cantrell, trumpeter and Balkan Bump band leader Will Magid, Balkan Sundays organizer and percussionist Sean Tergis, cultural anthropologist and folklorist Carol Silverman, Founder of Balkan Camp Mark Levy, Founder of Kafana Balkan Zeljko Petkovic, clarinet master Ismail Lumanovski, belly dancer Jill Parker, Beats Antique -David Satori, Zoe Jakes, Sidecar Tommy-, Roma music master Rumen Sali

Partner Organizations

Balkan Camp (Eastern European Folklife Center), Kafana Balkan, Inspector Gadje, Cafe Revolution, Beats Antiqu, Anatolian Arts Institute, Balkan Bump, Balkan Sundays, Berkeley Balkan Bachanal