Crossing | Somerville - Lotterywest Films

Levan Akin's multi-award-winning Crossing captures the vibrancy and colour of Istanbul, with diverse communities from different directions being drawn to its bustling Mediterranean hub.

What starts out as a road movie becomes more than a mere search for a loved one, it is also a warmly observed paean to inclusivity and chosen families. In a Georgian border town, retired teacher Lia agrees to take a young man she's just met to Istanbul when he claims he can help her find her niece, Tekla. There they meet lawyer and Trans rights advocate, Evrim. Through Evrim's networks and insights, Lia comes closer to understanding who Tekla really is, while also finally recognising her own failures that led to her leaving.

Crossings are literal and metaphorical in this beautifully told, delicately acted odd-couple, journey film. They refer to the waterways that Instabulites cross every day as well as the connections gained when different lives intersect and we can learn to accept.

• Director Levan Akin
• Screenwriter Levan Akin
• Cinematographer Lisabi Fridell
• Cast Mzia Arabuli, Lucas Kankava, Deniz Dumanli
• Editors Levan Akin & Emma Lagrelius
• Distributor/Sales Agent Madman