Crossing takes you into the heart of Istanbul’s queer underground
Levan Akin’s moving feature explores familial ties, generational differences and queer belonging against the backdrop of the vibrant Turkish capital.
WORDS BY MEGAN WALLACE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MUBI Following the success of 2019 Cannes Film Festival breakout And Then We Danced – a film whose LGBTQIA+ themes prompted riots across Georgia, where it was set – filmmaker Levan Akin has returned with Crossing, another immersive, emotionally searing project that explores queer life in Georgia and the Caucasus region.
Crossing follows retired teacher Lia as she travels from her Georgian village to Turkey in search of her estranged niece Tekla, who sought out a new life in Istanbul after coming out as trans.
As Lia explores Istanbul with her unofficial sidekick Achi, she comes into contact with Evrim; a lawyer and an activist at the heart of the city’s queer underground.
