Crossing
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“It seems Istanbul is a place people come to disappear”
Overview
Director Levan Akin (And Then We Danced) works with a powerhouse trio of leads to deliver a tender, novelistic road movie in Crossing. In southwest Georgia, retired high school history teacher Lia is searching for her missing niece— a trans woman named Tekla who may have crossed the boarder into Türkiye. Discontented local youth Achi has a tip on Tekla's new address in Istanbul, and convinces Lia to bring him along for the ride. Meanwhile in Istanbul, former sex worker and recently graduated law student Evrim is volunteering with an NGO fighting for trans rights, navigating romance and legal red tape with the help of the close-knit bonds of sisterhood in her community. These three very different people gradually find their paths in the big city drifting closer together, discovering small moments of grace even in a society determined to misunderstand them.
“Thoroughly intelligent, emotionally engaging and robustly performed”
“Warmly humanistic...observed with granular detail and imbued with a pulsing sense of place”
“A marvellous travelogue...In this town, in this movie, you feel absolutely certain each face has its own fascinating story to tell.”
Why See This Film
Akin has woven something special with Crossing, delicately bringing together the different narrative strands and journeys in a way that never feels forced. The central performances are just the anchor a tale like this needs, developing lived-in characters that you could happily spend more time with. Not quite a hangout movie, but its unhurried pace and willingness to luxuriate in the beauty of Istanbul keeps things light despite the heavy subject matter— the city as a refuge for lost souls, whose fleeting connections carry them forward. Melancholy with a hint of gentle optimism, Crossing is a film that will linger with you long past the final frame.
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