Crossing

Levan Akin, the rising star of LGBT cinema, has crafted one of the year’s best dramas to follow up his powerful And Then We Danced… In Georgia, a surly, short-tempered aunt sets out to cross the border and find her trans niece in Istanbul, taking the dubious assistance of a local ne’er-do-well who promises he knows where she is and can speak Turkish. Meanwhile, in Istanbul trans woman Evrim is finding balance, defending her neighbours as a trainee lawyer and falling in and out of love. The three will collide, finding new truths as they are forced to translate themselves.

Full of well-earned tender moments and lending authenticity to its rich tapestry of characters, Crossing confirms its director as one of the most sophisticated narrators of the breadth of LGBT life. Capturing the street-level energy of Istanbul, as well as the linguistic specificity of a region with so many influences, this is poignant, textured and heart-warming cinema.