Crossing
A retired Georgian teacher and her streetwise guide search Istanbul for her missing trans niece, finding unexpected kinship along the way.
Overview
A retired teacher embarks on a poignant journey to reconnect with her long-lost niece, discovering unexpected allies along the way.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- somber
- poignant
- intimate
- quiet evening
- festival film night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a poignant, humanistic LGBTQ+ drama distinguished by Mzia Arabuli's performance, Levan Akin's direction, and its compassionate social realism.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Lia and Achi travel from Georgia to Istanbul in search of Tekla, encountering migrant and LGBTQ+ communities.
Tekla is trans, while Evrim works as a lawyer advocating for trans rights in Istanbul.
The film follows a retired teacher, a young guide, a trans lawyer, and other vulnerable figures with intimate, plausible performances.
Lia's search for Tekla develops alongside Evrim's connection to trans rights work and the lives surrounding Istanbul's marginalized community.
Films like Crossing, and why
A Fantastic Woman
shared intimate social realism, queer themes, and compassionate cross-cultural encounters
The Inspection
shared LGBTQ+ subject matter, family estrangement, and emotionally restrained drama
In This World
shared migration, urban dislocation, and humanistic ensemble storytelling
Movie Details
- Director
- Levan Akin
- Release Date
- 2024-03-22
- Runtime
- 106 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (109)
Cast
- Mzia Arabuli
- Luke Kankava
- Deniz Dumanlı
- Nino Karchava
- Levan Bochorishvili
- Nino Tedoradze
- Bünyamin Değer
- Sema Sultan Elekci
- Metin Akdemir
- Oksan Büyük
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Crossing about?
- A retired Georgian teacher and her streetwise guide search Istanbul for her missing trans niece, finding unexpected kinship along the way.
- What is Crossing like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Crossing as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Crossing violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Crossing.
- What did critics think of Crossing?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a poignant, humanistic LGBTQ+ drama distinguished by Mzia Arabuli's performance, Levan Akin's direction, and its compassionate social realism.
- Which films are like Crossing?
- Films with a similar feel include A Fantastic Woman, The Inspection, and In This World.
- How long is Crossing?
- Crossing runs 106 minutes.
- Where can I watch Crossing?
- In United States, Crossing streams on MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel.
