The film 'Suyun Üstü' by Aslıhan Ünaldı to compete at the 2024 New York CineFest

The award-winning film, which was also featured in the main competition of the 43rd Istanbul Film Festival, will be screened at the LOOK Dine-In Cinemas W57 as part of the 2024 New York CineFest on the evening of Saturday, April 27.

Inspired by the director's personal experiences and exploring themes of alienation and acceptance, 'Suyun Üstü' tells the story of a fractured family trying to reconnect against the socio-political backdrop of modern-day Turkey.

Starring Elit İşcan, Nihan Aker, Lila Gürmen, Serhat Ünaldı, Eren Çiğdem, and Oscar Pearce, 'Suyun Üstü' examines issues such as family, career, and sexuality through the eyes of female characters from three different generations.

'Suyun Üstü' is the first feature film written and directed by Aslıhan Ünaldı, who, in addition to her directing career, teaches screenwriting in graduate film programs at Columbia University and New York University.

FESTIVAL JOURNEY CONTINUES

The film, which earned Elit İşcan the Best Supporting Actress Award at the 30th International Adana Golden Boll Film Festival and brought Ünaldı the Best Female Director Award at the Los Angeles Independent Women Film Awards, continues its international festival journey.

Included among the 10 finalists of the main competition at the 43rd Istanbul Film Festival, held from April 17-28, 2024, “Suyun Üstü” is simultaneously competing at the 2024 New York CineFest, held from April 25-28. The film, which is in the festival's official selection, will meet cinema lovers in New York on Saturday evening, April 27, at 9:30 PM at the iconic LOOK Dine-In Cinemas W57 building, designed by the famous architect Bjarke Ingels.

Filmed in the bays of Göcek and Fethiye, the movie features Elit İşcan, Nihan Aker, Lila Gürmen, Eren Çiğdem, and Oscar Pearce, as well as the director's father, Serhat Ünaldı, who makes his acting debut while also serving as the captain of the boat used during filming.

SYNOPSIS OF SUYUN ÜSTÜ

Zeynep, who lives in New York, arrives in a small coastal town in Muğla with her American husband. She has returned to a fractured family; her parents are divorced, and her sister has become alienated from the family.

The family is set to embark on a week-long sailing trip. This journey is also the last chance for Zeynep’s father, Yusuf, a journalist currently on trial, to reconnect with his daughters whom he has not seen for a long time. As the boat sets sail, the sails fill with wind, and they begin to glide through the blue waters, they feel as if they have returned to the past.

The family is together again. However, it gradually becomes clear that this trip is not just a simple family vacation. Tensions rise as the family awaits the verdict of Yusuf’s appeal. The delicate family dynamics take an unexpected turn when a young man from the local area enters their lives.

Focusing on its female characters and approaching the issues it covers through the eyes of three different generations, “Suyun Üstü” also touches upon press freedom through the story of the journalist Yusuf. Aslıhan Ünaldı, who holds an undergraduate degree in international relations from Yale University, is interested in exploring the impact of major socio-political issues on private lives and individual relationships in her films.

Having been screened at prestigious festivals such as São Paulo, Valencia, Montreal, Buenos Aires, and Sofia, and having garnered interest abroad, the film 'Suyun Üstü' will continue its international festival journey after Istanbul and New York.

News Source: 12punto