Steam: The Turkish Bath
An Italian architect inherits a fading Istanbul bathhouse and discovers a sensual new life that unsettles his marriage and sense of self.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- intimate
- sensual
- wistful
- quiet evening
- romantic movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as an atmospheric and emotionally engaging queer romance, with its Istanbul setting and sensuality outweighing its conventional melodrama.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Francesco travels to Istanbul to sell Aunt Anita's inherited hamam but becomes changed by the bathhouse and the people connected to it.
Francesco's Roman marriage and professional life collide with Istanbul's Turkish bath culture and his attraction to Mehmet.
The traditional hamam is treated as an atmospheric, tactile space where family bonds and desire unfold.
The plot explicitly involves Francesco's attraction to Mehmet, coming out, and the disruption of his established marriage.
Films like Steam: The Turkish Bath, and why
The Wedding Banquet
shared queer romance, cultural displacement, and sensuous character drama
My Beautiful Laundrette
shared intimate lgbtq+ romance, identity conflict, and cross-cultural setting
A Room in Rome
shared atmospheric international romance and emotionally transformative travel
Movie Details
- Director
- Ferzan Özpetek
- Release Date
- 1997-05-09
- Runtime
- 94 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (155)
Cast
- Alessandro Gassmann
- Mehmet Günsür
- Francesca D'Aloja
- Halil Ergün
- Şerif Sezer
- Başak Köklükaya
- Carlo Cecchi
- Alberto Molinari
- Zerrin Arbaş
- Ludovica Modugno
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Steam: The Turkish Bath about?
- An Italian architect inherits a fading Istanbul bathhouse and discovers a sensual new life that unsettles his marriage and sense of self.
- What is Steam: The Turkish Bath like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Steam: The Turkish Bath as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Steam: The Turkish Bath violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Steam: The Turkish Bath.
- What did critics think of Steam: The Turkish Bath?
- Critics broadly regard the film as an atmospheric and emotionally engaging queer romance, with its Istanbul setting and sensuality outweighing its conventional melodrama.
- Which films are like Steam: The Turkish Bath?
- Films with a similar feel include The Wedding Banquet, My Beautiful Laundrette, and A Room in Rome.
- How long is Steam: The Turkish Bath?
- Steam: The Turkish Bath runs 94 minutes.
- Where can I watch Steam: The Turkish Bath?
- In United States, Steam: The Turkish Bath is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube.
