Crossing main backdrop
Crossing main poster

7.7/10 • 33

2024-03-221h 46m

Drama

Lia, a retired teacher from Georgia, learns from her young neighbor, Achi, that her long-lost transgender niece, Tekla, has crossed the border into Turkey. In search of Tekla, Lia travels to Istanbul with the unpredictable Achi, where they explore the hidden depths of the city.

Directors
Levan Akin
Editors
Emma Lagrelius

Top Billed Cast

View Credits
  1. Mzia Arabuli

    Mzia Arabuli

    Lia

  2. Lucas Kankava

    Lucas Kankava

    Achi

  3. Deniz Dumanlı

    Deniz Dumanlı

    Evrim

  4. Tako Kurdovanidze

    Tako Kurdovanidze

    Tekla

  5. Ziya Sudançıkmaz

    Ziya Sudançıkmaz

    Omer

  6. Bünyamin Değer

    Bünyamin Değer

    Izzet

  7. Sema Sultan Elekci

    Sema Sultan Elekci

    Gülpembe

  8. Levan Gabrichidze

    Levan Gabrichidze

    Ramaz

  9. Mehtap Özdemir

    Mehtap Özdemir

    Aynur

Reviews2

View Reviews
CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Aug 17, 2024

7/10

There's something entirely plausible about the performance from Mzia Arabuli in this poignant drama. She is the retired school teacher "Lia" who is determined to track down her niece now that her sister has recently died. She lives in Georgia, likes a drink or two, and thinks that "Tekla" has fled to neighbouring Turkey where she is able to live her life more freely. She is trans - and that's not a situation encouraged at home! "Lia" hasn't a word of Turkish, though, so she agrees to take local wide boy "Achi" (Lucas Kankava) with her as a sort of guide-cum-translator. The seedier side of Istanbul beckons for both of them, but what chance of tracking down one person in a city of millions? Fortunately, the young man can't sleep one night and goes out to explore. He makes some new friends and these friends lead them to newly qualified lawyer "Evrim" (Deniz Dumanli) who promises to try to help... Now it would have been very easy for auteur Levan Akin to do this the A+B=C way, but he doesn't. He doesn't make the film about the search for "Tekla" so much as about a search by this woman to find herself, to reignite her sense of purpose and to to put into perspective issues that drive families apart leaving everyone bereft of affection and understanding. It's that role that Arabuli plays with an honesty that really works. There's an almost maternal chemistry between her and the young "Achi" and as they search, we see a city that really is a potpourri of just about every aspect of humanity - some friendly, so less so. I found this to be quite an effective film about live-and-let-live in a city where poverty and wealth exist side by side and where there appears to be a largely prevailing degree of tolerance and, to an extent, generosity of spirit. It's hopeful but not unrealistic, and proof that there's plenty of life in the old girl yet!

Media

  • Crossing backdrop
  • Crossing backdrop
  • Crossing backdrop
  • Crossing backdrop
  • Crossing backdrop
  • Crossing backdrop
  • Crossing backdrop
  • Crossing backdrop
  • Crossing backdrop

Recommendations

  • Clouds of Sils Maria main backdrop

    Clouds of Sils Maria

    6.6

  • How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies main backdrop

    How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies

    7.8

  • Kneecap main backdrop

    Kneecap

    6.8

  • Motel Destino main backdrop

    Motel Destino

    7.0

  • The Whales of August main backdrop

    The Whales of August

    7.0

  • The Girl with the Needle main backdrop

    The Girl with the Needle

    7.6

  • Fire main backdrop

    Fire

    6.7

  • Dormitory main backdrop

    Dormitory

    6.4

  • No Backdrop

    Like Tears in Rain

    8.0

  • Handling the Undead main backdrop

    Handling the Undead

    6.2

  • His Three Daughters main backdrop

    His Three Daughters

    6.9

  • In a Violent Nature main backdrop

    In a Violent Nature

    5.8

  • This Is Spinal Tap main backdrop

    This Is Spinal Tap

    7.4

  • MaXXXine main backdrop

    MaXXXine

    6.4

  • Monkey Man main backdrop

    Monkey Man

    6.9

  • The Count of Monte-Cristo main backdrop

    The Count of Monte-Cristo

    8.2

  • The Substance main backdrop

    The Substance

    7.3

  • A Man Called Otto main backdrop

    A Man Called Otto

    7.8

  • Lady Bird main backdrop

    Lady Bird

    7.3

  • Gladiator main backdrop

    Gladiator

    8.2

Status
Released
Original Language
Georgian
Budget
--
Revenue
$366,394.00
Keywords
No keywords have been added.