Turkmen Evening (Film screening, Turkmen food & live music)
THE CONTEST
A Journey into Turkmen Culture Through Film, Food & Live Music
Passenger Cinema invites you to a very special evening celebrating the rich and rarely explored culture of Turkmenistan, right here in London!
Join us for an immersive cultural experience bringing together cinema, traditional Turkmen food, tea and the beautiful sounds of the dutar.
🎬 First, the film!
We’ll begin the evening with a screening of The Contest (1963), a charming Soviet-era Turkmen musical drama that offers a glimpse into the country’s traditions and musical heritage.
🍵 Then, a taste of Turkmenistan!
After the screening, we’ll be joined by the wonderful Guncha Abla, originally from Turkmenistan, who will share a selection of homemade Turkmen dishes, traditional desserts and tea, all lovingly prepared by her.
🎶 And finally, the sounds of the dutar!
Guncha Abla will also treat us to a live performance on the dutar, one of Turkmenistan’s most treasured traditional instruments. We’ll end the evening sharing food, music and conversation, with plenty of time to mingle and meet new people.
Programme — Sunday, 22 November 2026
4:00 PM – Doors open
4:30 PM – Film screening: The Contest
6:30 PM – Homemade Turkmen food, desserts & tea
7:00 PM – Live dutar performance & mingling
8:00 PM – Event ends
📍 All Is Joy, London
♥️A special thank you to our sponsor, SteelRose Legal, and its founder, Zu Tohtayeva, whose inspiration helped bring this unique celebration of Turkmen culture to life!
📸 We’ll be taking photos and videos during the event for our social media. Please let us know if you’d prefer not to be photographed, filmed or featured.