Arts & Culture: The Trials of Eren Keskin and Minimal Schlager

Issue 15: March 2023 In the final section URSA, Europe’s audio magazine, we bring you arts and culture from the heart of Berlin! We speak with Maria Binder, whose latest film, Eren, follows the life of Eren Keskin, a Turkish human rights lawyer and defender. Eren has been designated an ‘enemy of the state’ in Turkey and has over 100 court cases lodged against her by Turkish authorities. She faces the uphill battle of defending herself in court, even as more cases pile up. The film is premiering in Berlin on March 8th at The Gorki Theater. Then, we share some local events and creators raising funds and awareness for the victims of the Turkey-Syria earthquakes, including specific charities accepting donations. Head over to kotti-berlin.de/ to learn more about how you can help. Our Local Artist Spotlight is Minimal Schlager, made up of Argentinian siblings Francisco and Alicia. We spoke with Francisco about how the band started, their musical influences, and their upcoming releases. To hear more of their music and check out their upcoming shows in Berlin and beyond, head over to their website at minimalschlager.com/.Our theme music is from Lucas Carey, with audio from Epidemic Sound. Cover art by Sian Amber Fletcher. This episode is brought to you by Bear Radio. If you’re a producer based in Europe and have an idea for an URSA story, we’d love to hear from you! We’re always accepting new pitches.Support for this podcast comes from our Patreon - if you like URSA and all the incredible stories that come with it - then please consider supporting us at patreon.com/ursapodcast. The price you’d spend on a coffee would go to supporting us and our contributors each month.