Lela is a Black woman from New York City traveling alone through Turkey. We first meet her as she gets off a train in the middle of nowhere and negotiates a fare with an amused, chatty cab driver. Driving along a meandering road, he suddenly stops to have coffee with friends. This sets the tone of the film: spontaneous encounters, beautiful landscapes, and coffee. Lela's ultimate destination is to meet a friend in Armenia, but she doesn't seem to be in a rush to get there.
On her way through the mountains in North-Eastern Turkey, Lela stops in a small village to ask for a room for the night. The young manager, Yusuf, takes a liking to the outsider and is keen to show her the sights — beautiful ruins, local lore, and a bend in a river from which you can see Armenia. The two develop the kind of immediate intimacy only possible on vacation as they philosophize under the stars. Directors Malik Isasis and Esra Saydam share their love for the country through dreamy shots and conversations over endless cups of Turkish coffee. The dialogue is organic, the journey spontaneous, leaving you with the aftertaste of a perfect vacation.––Casey Baron
