Sara's Istanbul Delights

A paralysingly beautiful documentary with a global vision—an odyssey through landscape and time—that attempts to capture the essence of life.

The struggles of a migrant Anatolian family to adapt to and survive in the very different conditions of urban Istanbul. A young woman moves with her husband and small child to her husband's family in Istanbul. Her son becomes ill and the doctor tells her that he will soon die if he doesn't get an operation. The family refuses to help her because they can't see anything wrong with the boy. What happens on a Eid morning becomes a breaking point for the family.

Award-winning director Fatih Akin takes us on a journey through Istanbul, the city that bridges Europe and Asia, and challenges familiar notions of east and west. He looks at the vibrant musical scene which includes traditional Turkish music plus rock and hip-hop.

An interpol agent and an attorney are determined to bring one of the world's most powerful banks to justice. Uncovering money laundering, arms trading, and conspiracy to destabilize world governments, their investigation takes them from Berlin, Milan, New York and Istanbul. Finding themselves in a chase across the globe, their relentless tenacity puts their own lives at risk.

Several directors from countries of the region were invited to create stories taking place in and around the beautiful city of Istanbul, in the vein of “Paris, je t’aime” and “New York, I love you”. They come together to remind viewers that Istanbul’s history does not belong only to the people of Turkey.

Young Manhattan chef Samir rediscovers his heritage and passion for life through the enchanting art of cooking Indian food.

Exploring the pre-fame years of the celebrated American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, and how New York City, its people, and tectonically shifting arts culture of the late 1970s and '80s shaped his vision.

Years of working in the food industry have made Juana, a working-class Latina, a chef of speed and skill. Searching for financial stability, she stumbles into a high-energy, male-dominated Japanese cuisine kitchen. The new atmosphere re-ignites her passions for food and life and makes her hungry to get mixed up in the flavors of this new world.

Two Turkish anti-terrorist agents are sent to New York City on a mission to find and bring back the dangerous Islamic leader codenamed "Dajjal", believed to be hiding in there. Working with the FBI and NYPD, the agents orchestrate the arrest of Hadji Gumus, a well-respected Muslim scholar and family man who years before fled to the United States after being released from a Turkish prison, where he served time for murder. This tale love, friendship, peace and prejudices, takes us on a journey seeking to answer the question of whether innocence or guilt even matters to one who lusts for vengeance.

An art dealer on a special mission is pulled into dangerous intrigue while railway detective Cheval tries to help and pursues criminals on the Istanbul Express.

February 2013, Allahabad, India. Over the next 55 days, nearly a hundred million people will come here, to the Great Kumbh Mela. This incredible and awe-inspiring celebration of the world's oldest religion happens every 12 years at the place where Hindus believe two sacred rivers meet. For many Hindus this is their most important pilgrimage, and it happens at one of the most holy sites in India. Hindus come to cleanse themselves in the sacred waters of the river Ganges, to pray and emerge purified and renewed. This follows British pilgrims as they embark on a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual journey. A journey that will take them into the heart of Hinduism - its philosophy, its beliefs and its traditions. A journey that will culminate in the largest ever gathering of humans in one place.

"A Touch of Spice" is a story about Fanis, a young Greek boy growing up in Istanbul, whose grandfather, a culinary philosopher and mentor, teaches him that both food and life require a little salt to give them flavor. They both require... A Touch of Spice. Fanis grows up to become an excellent cook and uses his cooking skills to spice up the lives of those around him. 35 years later he leaves Athens and travels back to his birthplace of Istanbul to reunite with his grandfather and his first love. He travels back only to realize that he forgot to put a little bit of spice in his own life.

A bag full of money lands in front of you. Is it luck? The answer to your prayers? Part of a predetermined plan? Or all of the above? Set in the chaotic streets of Istanbul, 40 is a story of three strangers making their way in a city of 12 million, all searching...for one bag. Shot entirely on location, '40' combines intense story telling with documentary style cinematography embarking on a synchronistic journey dealing with faith, love, luck, destiny, human trafficking...and a bag of cash that falls from the sky.

Year 1969 - in Turkey. 60s youth were living the most excited days. There was a great effort to make a bridge in Istanbul, on the Bosphorus. Meanwhile, on the eastern border of Turkey, in a Kurdish city between the borders of Iran and Iraq that is left to its destiny, in Hakkari, Zap River was taking lives since there were no passage on it.

In a powerful exploration of her Greek Canadian heritage, Jaime Leigh Gianopoulos embarks on an introspective journey through the depths of her heart, akin to traversing a black hole, in search of the gifts hidden within her wounds. Guided by the presence of the plantain, a resilient plant often referred to as "white man's footprints" due to its association with European settlers, she unravels the fragmented threads of an ancient myth and pre-Hellenic ceremony. Through this profound exploration, she seeks to rediscover the art of navigating the loss of identity and the cyclical nature of life's transitions.

Food fanatic Adam Richman has held nearly every job in the restaurant biz, and now he's on a journey to explore the biggest and best eats this nation has to offer, including some of the craziest eating challenges around.

Two lifelong bikers and foodies, Dave Myers and Si King, take to the road to find gastronomic treats.

New Scandinavian Cooking is a Scandinavian cooking show which, over the course of ten seasons, was hosted by Andreas Viestad, Tina Nordström and Claus Meyer, produced by the Norwegian production company Tellus Works in collaboration with American Public Television. A sequel series titled Perfect Day continued with the original hosts in rotation, with the cast addition of Sara La Fountain. It is also broadcast on channels such as AFC. Beginning in 2003, the show debuted on PBS in the United States. It has also been broadcast in more than 130 other countries, including the United Kingdom, China, Germany, Italy and France, according to the show's producers a viewership of 100 million per episode. The first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth seasons were hosted by Norwegian food writer Andreas Viestad, the third season by Swedish chef and television personality Tina Nordström, and the fifth season was hosted by Danish chef and cookbook author Claus Meyer. The sixth season, a sequel series Perfect Day rotated the original hosts Viestad, Nordström and Meyer, with the addition of Finnish TV chef Sara La Fountain. The seventh season was once again named New Scandinavian Cooking, and still rotated between the Nordic hosts. During the eight and ninth seasons Andreas continued the series on his own, with his passionate storytelling, fusing history, nature and cooking – seeking out the origins of the food with his mobile kitchen. Iceland will be introduced in the upcoming season ten.

John Romer recreates the glory and history of Byzantium. From the Hagia Sophia in present-day Istanbul to the looted treasures of the empire now located in St. Marks in Venice.

Andrew Graham-Dixon embarks on his most ambitious journey yet, an exploration of the rich, exciting and diverse art history of the United States of America

Exploring China: A Culinary Adventure is a four-part British documentary television series that aired on BBC Two. Chefs Ken Hom and Ching He Huang, both Chinese food specialists, describing their travels through China and the recipes and personal stories they find there.Hom and Huang will travel to Beijing, learning about Peking Duck, and on to the Silk Road, Kashgar, and the Sichuan Province,together bringing a unique and authoritative perspective on Chinese food that will surprise and inform.Ken and Ching undertake an epic 3000-mile culinary adventure across China - not only to reveal its food, but its people, history, culture and soul.BBC Books has acquired and published the title to accompany the BBC Two series of four hour-long episodes.

The three-time James Beard award-winning and Emmy nominated TV series “Pati’s Mexican Table” brings authentic Mexican flavors, colors, textures and warmth into your home. Pati Jinich is a former policy analyst, focused on Latin American politics and history, turned chef, cookbook author, and TV host whose true passion lies in sharing the tastes of her childhood and culinary adventures in her native country. In each episode, Pati embarks upon an exciting and entertaining journey, where each dish serves as a point of departure into Mexico’s rich history and culture, Pati’s personal experiences, her family life, and her ongoing conversations with cooks in both Mexico and the US.

The epic adventure of Hakan, a young shopkeeper whose modern world gets turned upside down when he learns he’s connected to a secret, ancient order, tasked with protecting Istanbul.

Join chef Marcus Samuelsson on an inspiring journey across the U.S. to explore and celebrate the wide-ranging diversity of immigrant traditions and cuisine woven into American food and culture.

Embark on a global cultural journey into street food and discover the stories of the people who create the flavorful dishes.

Host Padma Lakshmi takes audiences on a journey across America, exploring the rich and diverse food culture of various immigrant groups, seeking out the people who have so heavily shaped what American food is today.

An artist finds romance with a chef in Italy and embarks on a life-changing journey of love, loss, resilience and hope across cultures and continents.

Alice Levine is stepping out of her comfort zone to embark on a journey of sexual discovery across the UK. Invited into homes all over the country, she will explore what sex means for modern Brits; whether they’re doing it for pure pleasure, for money, or even seeking spiritual enlightenment.

Inspector Cetin Ikmen, his partner Mehmet Suleyman and Detective Ayse Farsakoglu, solve crimes and experiencing euphoric highs and tragic lows. Each crime story is heavily rooted in the rich and varied culture and history of Istanbul and set against the vibrant, dazzling and frenzied world of modern-day Turkey.

DNA Dinners is a ground-breaking new series that explores the diverse heritages of 16 individuals as they discover their roots through DNA analysis and celebrate them through cooking. In each episode, engaging host Tyrone Edwards surprises one individual with the results of their DNA test. Alongside an expert chef, this person then explores their new background and creates a delicious dish that beautifully blends the unique flavours and ingredients of their two cultures. The meal is then shared with the individual's family at a party where they celebrate their newfound heritage.