Transcultural is in turn described as "extending through all human cultures" or "involving, encompassing, or combining elements of more than one culture". Project Establishing cultural dialogue and exchange through musical creation under the motto ‘how can we live together’ Music is able to transcend all cultural barriers and encode ‘cultural-specific realities’ …discovering through linguistic and musical interchange specificities of arab culture (narratives, rhythms, emotions).

Overcoming stereotypes Accepting differences Letting go of the past Embracing the present Transmission & Reception Process creation Involving people to participate in creation Positive perspective

From a Palm Tree to the Stars

Leila Albayaty presents From a Palm Tree to the Stars as a multimedia performance. Against a backdrop of scenes from her film projected on the big screen.

ˮI raise the question of origins. This brings me towards the music of the Arab world, after having refused to do so. This music is so close and yet so distant, but also essential for me. It is a legacy that my father, an Iraqi exiled in France, did not hand down to me.” 

Leila Albayaty is developing a multi-faceted story of migration and its influence on cultural identity, while at the same time portraying her own journey between Arab and Western culture. Both the film and concert combine Leila Albayaty’s style between pop, lo-fi and electro with the traditional Arab musical mode bayātī, which employs quarter tones and is widespread in oriental music.

From A Palm Tree to the Stars is funded by Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg and supported by the Goethe Institute Cairo.

Leila preformed "From a palm tree to the stars" in HKW (Haus der Kultur der Welt, Berlin), in the French Institute of Tunis and at the Goethe Institute Cairo for the opening film week festival in june 2019.

She plays live along with Kouzy Larsen (oud), Hassan Alhanafy (electronic, ney flute), or with Romain Rossi (Guitar), Ayman Mabrouk (percussions), and Ivana Plavec (Oud). Most of the images are filmed by Zoé Nutchey and Leila Albayaty.