Overview
In a world ravaged by war, two poets compete for love amidst despair.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- wistful
- lyrical
- quiet evening
- literary film night
What critics said
Audiences broadly praised its performances, emotional sweep, and visually polished Turkish period setting, while some found its melodrama and length excessive.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Muzaffer and Rüştü compete to win Suzan through poems while pursuing recognition as young poets.
The plot unfolds amid famine conditions, poverty, and turmoil during the Second World War.
The two tuberculosis-stricken poets remain close friends while making a romantic wager over Suzan.
The historical mining-town setting and poets' inner lives are presented through an expansive, romanticized visual treatment.
Films like The Butterfly's Dream, and why
Bright Star
shared biographical drama, literary ambition, romance, and melancholic wartime atmosphere
The English Patient
shared period romance, poetic sensibility, illness, and emotionally poignant young artists
Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
shared Turkish historical drama, intimate friendship, and lyrical treatment of hardship
Movie Details
- Director
- Yılmaz Erdoğan
- Release Date
- 2013-02-22
- Runtime
- 138 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (161)
Cast
- Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ
- Mert Fırat
- Belçim Bilgin
- Farah Zeynep Abdullah
- Yılmaz Erdoğan
- Ahmet Mümtaz Taylan
- Taner Birsel
- İpek Bilgin
- Devrim Yakut
- Aksel Bonfil
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Apple TV Store
- Buy
- Apple TV Store
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Butterfly's Dream about?
- Two tuberculosis-stricken young poets turn friendship, romance, and wartime hardship into a wager over the power of a poem.
- What is The Butterfly's Dream like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Butterfly's Dream as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Butterfly's Dream violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Butterfly's Dream.
- What did critics think of The Butterfly's Dream?
- Audiences broadly praised its performances, emotional sweep, and visually polished Turkish period setting, while some found its melodrama and length excessive.
- Which films are like The Butterfly's Dream?
- Films with a similar feel include Bright Star, The English Patient, and Once Upon a Time in Anatolia.
- How long is The Butterfly's Dream?
- The Butterfly's Dream runs 138 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Butterfly's Dream?
- In United States, The Butterfly's Dream is available to rent or buy from Apple TV Store.
