Crossing Istanbul

There are many crossings or cross-overs here - crossing borders, countries, families, communities, societies, mentalities, genders, sexes. It is a brilliant title.

And Lia is an amazing woman with many layers that are slowly peeled off, to her surprise as well sometimes. She does most of the crossing here and it is beautiful. She emerges at the end as the wisewoman of her village, her region, her community and a mother figure to both Achi, the young boy left behind as a child by his mother and Tekla, the niece she had neglected long ago, when she still cared about appearances and people's judgements.

This is how you make an honest movie about a very sensitive topic in a highly conservative and patriarchal society that can actually reach some people who may be undecided on the issue. It shows us things as they are, raw, awkward, funny, uncomfortable, weird, warm, heartbreaking, but maybe most of all believable and to some extent even relatable. You can relate to Achi, who clings to Lia, but is also just a teenager who needs to eat, drink and have fun without thinking about the consequences, Evrim who wants to help people who can't help themselves or are self-destructive for whatever reason, but Evrim also needs somebody to love her and help her, and Lia who is a retired aunt, respected in her small community, but has just realized she is all alone and her only remaining relative is a child she has failed to protect and care for.

And despite all the worries, mishaps and trouble they run into in the big city of Istanbul, there is always a party around the corner to ease your sorrows or somebody to help you out. There is a great deal of warmth in this movie with quite a few bleak moments. And I was ready to embrace that Deus ex Machina ending, only it was too good to be true and my heart broke for Tekla.

Again, this is how you make a movie without pushing an agenda down people's throat. With real people and real reactions and real dialogue.

Levan Akin is a brilliant filmmaker and this film is flawless. Istanbul is beautiful and inviting yet can feel terribly lonely at the same time for a foreigner and this essence is so well captured in the background of this road movie. Every role is perfectly cast and the acting is superb. Multiple themes are addressed: Longing for family, regret, and the humanity in the diversity of all people.

The three main actors (in fact all the actors) gave nuanced performances that were so believable. There is very little sex and violence here. Great writing can imply it without graphically showing it. These types of interior films shot on location are not easy to produce but after seeing this, I need to see every film made by Akin.

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.

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!

Levan Akin's new film wonderfuly captures the essence of istanbul. The composition and shots combined with the strong chemistry of the main characters make up for a wholesome story. Mzia Arabuli is wonderful and her character is one of the best aspects of the movie. Storywise crossing features a fresh script by combining the modest lives of 3 people and creates an story that strongly bonds together by showing different aspects of each characters lives, coincidentally based in the same condition but with different purposes. The only exception in the film was the choice of music as it didn't make a strong impact and definitely could have been used better. Especially in the ending scene. But overall despite being a festival film(for people with bias), crossing takes its place as one of the greater movies of 2024 that should definitely be seen for its unique story and characters.