Afloat

Local title
Kõikuval pinnal
Original title
Suyun Üstü
Director
Aslihan Unaldi
Country
Turkey
Year
2023
Festival
19th Tartuff
Programme
Town Hall Square Film Programme
Genre
psychological drama

This independently produced Turkish drama didn't receive official funding because of its open exploration of politics and liberal depiction of erotic sexuality. A boldly uncensored sailing trip in the Aegean Sea briefly reunites an estranged family. Dissident journalist Yusuf wants to spend one last carefree week on holiday with his two daughters and divorced wife before his imprisonment. Western-educated Zeynep arrives from New York with her American husband. The young, free-spirited seductress Yasemin (played by one of the adult "Mustang" girls, Elit İşcan) unabashedly pursues her rebellious desires. Long-buried secrets and uninvited passengers will bring winds of change and startling twists to their one last voyage.

Aslihan Unaldi's stunning and personal directorial debut has already sailed to Sao Paulo, Valencia, Montreal, Buenos Aires, Sofia and Istanbul, and won Best Film and Best Director at New York's CineFest. She boldly introduces complex female characters (rarely seen in Turkish films) and asks her father (an amateur actor) to play the pivotal role of Yusuf, who is prosecuted and punished for investigative articles on corruption in Türkiye.

Director
Aslihan Unaldi
Screenwriter
Aslihan Unaldi
Cast
Nihan Aker, Elit Iscan, Lila Gurmen, Serhat Unaldi, Oscar Pierce, Eren Cigdem
Producer
Aslihan Unaldi, Kamen Velkovsky
DoP
André Jaeger
Editor
Melih Kaymaz, Aslihan Unaldi
Composer
Davut Ozdemir, Deniz Gungor
Runtime
Language
English, Turkish
Subtitles
Estonian, English
Other festivals
Istanbul

Screenings

Open Air Cinema Town Hall Square
ScreeningKõikuval pinnal
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Screening duration
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