gizem oruc

This year, Pembe Hayat KuirFest visited Berlin for the second time with its programme “KuirFest Berlin: Queer Feminist Rebels” between 23 May - 7 June 2019 at Wedding’s open project space bi’bak.


Turkey’s one and only queer film festival has been travelling since it is banned in the original city Ankara. As an act of transgressing boundaries against the ban, KuirFest aimed at (re)creating space for transnational solidarity by becoming a  mobil festival. Queer Feminist Rebels, curated by Esra Özban and Esma Akyel from Pembe Hayat KuirFest, gathered documentary, fiction, shorts, web-series and experimental works by female, non-binary and trans filmmakers; an invitation to a rebellious engagement with dominant modes of filmmaking and mainstream LGBTI+ representations.

Artwork by Rüzgâr Buşki

In collaboration with Gazino Neukölln and with the generous support of Musicboard Berlin, KuirFest Berlin hosted opening and closing parties to celebrate this rebellious gathering. The opening party hosted prominent lubun performers and DJs from Istanbul; Korospular, Şevval Kılıç, Samy Winehouse and ElifKK at SO36.

Korospular, photo by Virgina De, 23.5.19 @ SO36

The closing party at Ostkreuz’s trans-feminist DIY venue Raumerweiterungshalle was a great spectacle hosting live performances of Ebow, Säye Skye, Alice Dee, Leila A., Gesa, 6zm, Gazino Neukölln; the DJs sets by creo_en_todo and T**lin (queeriental) and the drag performances by Cupid, Old Man Glanda and Smooth Operator.

Ebow, photo by Ceren Saner, 7.6.19 @ Raumerweiterungshalle

By gathering prominent lubun energy from different backgrounds, KuirFest Berlin parties aimed at creating a space that strengthens the ties between queers in diaspora and empowers networks across borders with glitter and joy.

Happening on the Oct. 9th at 19:30 at Xberg’s community space co-up. Join us to this interesting talk, hope we all get inspired 🙌🏼👊🏼 Panel with Electric Indigo (female:pressure), Linnéa (NoShade), Daniela Seitz (Creakcake), DJ Ipek (Gayhane), The Neighbourhood Character (Raumerweiterungshalle) moderated by Andrea Goetzke (MusicPoolBerlin)

This evening looks into different models, experiences and utopias of organizing in network or collective structures, and of inspiring community building - all with a focus on artists, musicians, and people working in music. How can we build creative and critical ecosystems that are based on mutual support and working together? How can we shape and create our creative and critical spaces, structures and interactions - so that we all can thrive in them together in the longer term?

My queer-pop duo Dragons in Gardens has just released the third single, Diamond (Sunset Rework) on Bandcamp. Stream it online here 👇🏽

Diamond (Sunset Rework) by Dragons in Gardens

A short clip featuring Dragons in Gardens, Gazino Neukölln, Leila A., Alice Dee. from Diamond Release Party on 11.08.2018 at Raumerweiterungshalle.

Many thanks to the DJs who burned the dance floor 👯‍♀️ ĀBNAMĀ, Herrektor, DJLesh; all the fam for being there, putting their heart on this one and Raumerweiterungshalle for the precious space.

SWITCH is a workshop series that aims to centralize (not exclusively) and empower women, people of color and queers through accessible music education.

Through these workshops, we hope to establish a culture of engaging participatory and multivocal approaches to sharing and spreading knowledg(es) of electronic music and electronic music performance within a DIY setting, thus encouraging self-empowerment among DIY, up-and-coming, and semi-professional emerging artists.

This Music Production Workshop aimed at facilitating participants to produce and perform music with Ableton Live. At the end of the third day, we had a jam using three Ableton Linked computers, various controllers and sound generators. Hear the performance here: 

Happening this week! The festival “#DisPlaced #rePlaced” includes workshops, installations, panels, screenings and music made by those #disPlaced and #rePlaced. Most of the events will take place at Radialsystem V and the club night will happen at KaterBlau.

More info here.

On Saturday the diva Şevval Kılıç and I will be there for the Q&A following the screening of #direnayol. Later both of us will be rocking the stages (hopefully:) along with other precious artists.

Super excited for Saturday's show at the Garage Mu Festival No.2 of La Station Gare des Mines of Paris 🚀

Going live on 22 July 2017 at 23:30

Once again getting together to play impro techno as WeRK, my side project with Sinan Ilhan at Vienna’s AU.

12.05.2017 AU, Brunnengasse 76

Art meets Music at Berghain, by Your Mom’s Agency.

My side project ‘Dragons in Gardens‘ with Ami Kim released the second single ‘Diamond’ with this beautiful music video. Watch diamond <3

This was a big dragon-work. I want to thank to Emre Malikler for making the track sound great; to Zara Zandieh for putting all her creativity and love to the video; to el boum for making our fantasy world get physical with her artwork. And of course to Ami Kim for her comradeship in this journey.

OneBeat draws a portrait of me 💚

Thanks to OneBeat, I had a chance to talk about music, inspiration and collaboration✌

MC Xuparina, a queer favela singer, escapes the male dominated funk scene of Rio de Janeiro and faces other hardships as an immigrant in Germany. A rhythmical and humorous melodrama about struggle and ideals, and how to stand up for sexual diversity in a hetero-normative music genre.

MC Xuparina and me made this track about her story coming to Germany.

My side project WeRK with Sinan Ilhan will be performing at Hekura Records' event Stabs and Happiness on May 5th 2016 in AU, Vienna.

Hear the quick taster floating from noise to techno 🚀

(artwork by Fatimah Aj)

Tomorrow will be an infusion to experimental audiovisual journey. I’ll be playing live with artists Miranda De La Frontera, Spoonman DJ Cla:S, La Manchega, Comiuc Bureau - tagtool, and many more.

from 10pm onward at Eschschloraque Mitte, Berlin

More info about the event is here.