Balkancisco - The Story of the Evolution of Balkan Music in San Francisco Bay Area


Balkancisco - The Story of the Evolution of Balkan Music in San Francisco Bay Area

 

Balkancisco is a documentary that explores the powerful influence of Balkan music in the 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 Antique, Anatolian Arts Institute, Balkan Bump, Balkan Sundays, Berkeley Balkan Bachanal 

 

Director Biography - Tugrul Sarikaya

After completing his education in Political Science and Public Administration, Tuğrul Sarıkaya started his masters degree at the same university. He moved to San Francisco in 2014 to study at CCSF and started his first e-Commerce venture, Recro Garage Inc. After selling his company, Tuğrul started to focus on video production. 35Video, which he founded. He conducted the visual programs of ISS Guckenheimer, one of the largest food/beverage organization companies in the world. He carried out the visual promotion works of many restaurants and businesses. Now he provides visual marketing services all around the globe and he produces documentaries.

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Director Statement

Since I graduated in Political Science, I’ve come to the realization that cultural differences and similarities are not necessarily the root cause of political division, as they often tend to bring people together rather than drive them apart. It’s true that at the core of our cultural expressions lies a sense of shared humanity that transcends boundaries and borders.

Balkancisco focuses on the idea that there are certain cultural expressions that are so innate to our shared humanity that they cannot be taken away by politics. It’s important to recognize the ways in which politics can divide us, but also to understand the enduring power of cultural expression and its ability to bring us together.

 

Specs

Project Type: Documentary, Experimental, Feature, Music Video

Genres: Music Documentary

Runtime: 1 hour 18 minutes

Completion Date:July 1, 2023

Production Budget: 389,512 USD

Country of Origin: United States

Country of Filming: United States

Language: English, Turkish

Shooting Format:Digital - 4K

Film Color: Color

First-time Filmmaker: Yes

 

Directed by Tuğrul Sarıkaya

Producers: Tuğrul Sarıkaya, Duygu Gün, Özgen Göksoy

Director of Photography Özgen Göksoy

Writer: Duygu Gün, Tuğrul Sarıkaya

 

Film website

Film teaser

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