Crossing

To fulfill the dying wish of her sister, retired teacher Lia (a dignified and impressive performance from Mzia Arabuli), sets off on foot to find her estranged niece, Tekla, who fled Georgia at a young age across the border to Turkey. Before she leaves, Lia gets a lead from the cocky Achi – who himself desires to run away. The unlikely duo set off with little money and only each other for support, to navigate the vibrant, cobbled streets of Istanbul’s queer district. This is a road movie, and a personal, introspective journey of reconciliation, instilled with a poetic exploration of marginalised communities abandoning a place that doesn’t accept them.