TV Review

Balkan Lullaby

by Sezen Tumer

Balkan Lullaby is a nineepisode Turkish-language soap opera based in Macedonia.

Balkan Lullaby is a soap opera that can be watched on YouTube with English subtitles. It has everything: excellent actors, beautiful music, colorful folk dances, ethnic wedding customs, tears and laughter.

Balkan Lullaby is a beautiful, pure and innocent love story between a Macedonian and a Turk in Skopje, Macedonia.

In the Balkan countries, many ethnicities live together, but not in peace. Life in the Balkans is like a powder keg, ready to explode at any time. Human relationships, such as business, love, et cetera, face many obstacles and are full of challenges.

A Macedonian and a Turkish family have a history going back three generations. Thirty-five years ago, two young people from these families fell madly in love. Unfortunately, their love did not end happily, and they were separated.

Their families also ended their relationship and the two have not seen each other since then. The girl moved to Vienna and cut her ties with her family. The man quit his promising music career and became a cook.

This love affair was kept as a secret by both families and never brought up.

Thirty-five years later, history repeats itself. Once again, their children fall madly in love. At the same time, the two families are forced to share the same house. Destiny has put them together again. Both families try to stop this love affair, but the young lovers fight to save their love.

The Turkish grandfather is an interesting character, a sage. He is very close to his grandson and is a courageous man who always defends the truth. His love is for eternity and his purpose in life is to rebuild his mosque, which was demolished because of his son’s love of a Macedonian woman.