Crossing Istanbul

I really liked how the title explains perfectly what this film is about. It's about people who crosses to a different country, whose own lives crosses with characters that are nothing like them, and finally about people who are crossing genders on a quest to find themselves. The acting was superb, specially Evrim's character played by Deniz Dumanli. All the characters are complex and extremely interesting and I really loved how the movie has a slight twist making you expect one thing and delivering another. Istanbul depiction was beautiful but not in a postcard touristy way and it really showed the vibe of this huge, exotic, amazing city. What I liked the most was the connections that we could see forming between people who are unlikely to be hanging out. The music and cinematograpghy were also both very good. I strongly recommend this movie to any film lover.

Director Levan Akim has done it again. Made a very memorable film. And educational. The previous And Then We Danced took place in Georgia. Here the action takes place in the world metropolis Istanbul.

Like his previous film, Akim again addresses issues related to minorities, in this case trans women. Again, he manages to teach me at least a lot about what it is like to live as a trans woman in a challenging environment. But like in the previous film, this one is also full of charm and warmth. So it is not a black and sad film that we are watching. Here there is warmth and courage among those we follow along the way.

I see such clear parallels to the previous film, which was about a young gay dancer who was ostracized from his environment in Georgia. Here there is a touching story about a family member who is looking for a dear niece who was once just asked by her loved ones to leave, because of who she is. We read in the face of the aunt who is searching that she wants a reunion and that feelings about the loss of relationships are a hard burden to bear.

In the search for the niece, we encounter an incredible number of fascinating destinies in the metropolis of Istanbul. As I understand it, most of the characters in this film are newcomers and have little or no acting experience. What director Akim has managed to get them to perform is astonishing and eye-catching. Here, everyone delivers, and is believable and convincing.

And I also want to add, I love the scenes from Istanbul. Amazing city.

This film deserves a large audience.

I look forward to the next film from this incredibly fascinating director.

This is the best movie I have seen lately. It is perfect in every way. For me, the acting and the story-building is great. The story is simple, yet it is a complex movie with many layers. On the foreground, there are lots of events and characters. On the background, the charming Istanbul, yet expressed very subtly. Most of the story takes place in the backstreets of the Beyoglu district, where hard lives are intertwined with human warmth and friendships. Underneath it all, is a layer with all kinds of emotions that grip you from the beginning of the movie until the end. And all those emotions stay with you long after the movie. Please go and see it!

This is a fantastic movie: the story, the actors, the places, everything is there in the right dosage, and the whole time, I felt like I was part of it. For anyone who felt lost or did not belong, for whomever had been always looking for someone dear, family or friends, this movie has it all. A special mention to the main characters; they were so well-played that I could swear they were real, even the children.

A special mention for not engaging in violence and sexual abuse. The story was so well written that the power of suggestion was more than enough to let the viewer have his own impression.

I was not sure I wanted to see this film at first as the opening shots seemed dreary. How mistaken I was. A story with heart develops that grips you as it goes along. The main character, a retired teacher in search of her niece (trans) is not an easy one and has issues herself although these are never explained but just hinted on as in real life. Her counterpart an aimless youth in search of a job (and a life) follows her much to her annoyance from Georgia to Istanbul, Turkey where her niece seems to have gone This search or the journey that Lia (the retired teacher) undertakes helps her understand more about herself, about letting go of prejudices or people's expectations of oneself and of reaching out to others.

As is poignantly observed 'Istanbul seems to be the place where one comes to disappear' . The disappearance of a self to discover a new self The film is shot in a matter of fact way with little camera tricks or beautiful angles despite the cities involved. Although the background looks dreary most of the time the life that is breathed therein makes it a vibrant one The closing shot of Lia on a ship in the middle of the sea, with the camera circling about her is a most telling one. Recommended.