Incredibly well-made documentary about the everyday history of Turkish gastarbeiters (guest workers) in Germany which is told through the community's music and by the words of the musicians - both by interviews with many (as I understand) once household names, but most of all, by the songs and the lyrics themselves! Very powerful social critique in four or five generations (since the 1960s) of pure poetry!
Also very original design and editing, lots of stunning archival footage. An incredible variety of musical genres.
Finally, it really lets you get a sense of the hardship, hope and disillusionment of the people who undertook that "invited" migration: the separation with their families and homeland, German society's hostility, the exploitation and precariousness, etc. Etc. - all told in authentic poetic terms.
Here is one of the songs to set you on the journey (in my humble 2nd hand translation):
They gave me a contract on the Istanbul train station
Your new workplace is in Germany, they said
Here is a ticket, one packet is allowed
Come on, off you go - they sent us on a journey
Ghermany, Ghermany - having got up to here, there is no way back.
The film was a favourite in the 2024 Bulgarian MENAR film festival and they are showing it again this year by popular demand.
