Stray
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“The ultimate love letter to dogs and a multifaceted moral inquiry into humanity” – Variety
“★★★★ – A compassionate portrait of those existing on the margins of urban society” – Total Film
“Delightful” – New York Times
Through the eyes of three stray dogs wandering the streets of Istanbul, Stray explores what it means to live as a being without status or security. As they search for food and shelter, Zeytin, Nazar and Kartal embark on inconspicuous journeys through Turkish society that allow us an unvarnished portrait of human life — and their own canine culture.
Zeytin, fiercely independent, embarks on solitary adventures through the city at night; Nazar, nurturing and protective, easily befriends the humans around her; while Kartal, a shy puppy living on the outskirts of a construction site, finds refuge with the security guards who care for her.
The disparate lives of Zeytin, Nazar and Kartal intersect when they each form intimate bonds with a group of young Syrians who share the streets with them. Whether they lead us into bustling streets or decrepit ruins, the gaze of these strays act as windows into the overlooked corners of society: women in loveless marriages, protesters without arms, refugees without sanctuary.
The film is a critical observation of human civilisation through the unfamiliar gaze of dogs, and a sensory voyage into new ways of seeing.
Dir: Elizabeth Lo
Turkey 2020, 1hr 12mins
BBFC certification: 18