crossing istanbul

Tekla has vanished. She left her village in Georgia for the city of endless possibilities: Istanbul. After too long without any news, Lia, her stern and strong-willed aunt, along with her young, naive neighbour, set off to find her. In the bustling heart of the city, their encounters multiply—between hope and despair, activism and prostitution. Filmed with a poetic touch, where everything vibrates—light, music, colours, and the depth of the actors’ performances—the story unfolds in a whirlwind of joy, regret, and moments both ordinary and intense.

After his unforgettable romance And Then We Danced, presented at Cannes in 2019, the director, who received high praise this year in Berlin, returns with a second feature film that pulses with life.